


Sharing the Story

by Hufflepuff_Romantic



Series: The Story universe [1]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Abusive Relationships, Anxiety, Auror Harry Potter, Auror Ron Weasley, Babies, Background Relationships, Between Lucius and Narcissa, Bisexual Blaise Zabini, Bisexual Fred Weasley, Bisexuality, But not graphic or detailed, Canon Compliant, Childhood Memories, Childhood Trauma, Control Issues, Conversations, Cooking, Deep Conversations, Developing Relationship, Domestic Fluff, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, Emotionally Repressed, Eventual Romance, Evil Lucius Malfoy, Ex-Auror Harry Potter, Fluff, Fred Weasley Lives, Friends to Lovers, Fun, Gay Draco Malfoy, Gay Harry Potter, Gay Sex, Getting Together, Grief/Mourning, Harry Potter Epilogue What Epilogue | EWE, Head Auror Ron Weasley, Hero Complex, Implied Sexual Content, Implied/Referenced Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Implied/Referenced Drug Addiction, Insane Lucius Malfoy, Insecure Draco Malfoy, Insecure Harry, Insecurity, Internalised trauma, Kissing, Lots of conversations, M/M, Magically Powerful Harry Potter, Memories, Mental Health Issues, Mild Language, Mild Sexual Content, Ministry of Magic (Harry Potter), Ministry of Magic Employee Hermione Granger, Multi, Open Relationships, Past Character Death, Past Child Abuse, Past Suicidal Thoughts, Percy Weasley Dies, Pet Names, Post-Canon, Post-Hogwarts, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Post-War, Potions Shop Owner Draco Malfoy, Psychological Trauma, Quidditch Player Ginny Weasley, Relationship Issues, Repressed Memories, Rimming, Romance, Sex, Sexual Content, Slow Burn, Slow Romance, Suicidal Thoughts, Swearing, The Lord of the Rings References, Unhealthy Coping Mechanisms, Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes, Writing, but mild, getting drunk, talking about sex
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-20
Updated: 2020-09-24
Packaged: 2021-03-03 02:14:16
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 41
Words: 435,482
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24287197
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Hufflepuff_Romantic/pseuds/Hufflepuff_Romantic
Summary: This story is set 7 years after the war when Harry and Draco are 25.Harry has been repressing a lot of emotions and painful memories after the war. He thought he was fine but over the time he realises that he's really not. Maybe it's finally time for him to write the true story of the war that everyone is begging him for. There's only one problem, he needs the permission of a certain school boy rival of his to use his real name in the story. How will he find Draco Malfoy when no one has heard anything about him in seven years and will Malfoy even listen to him?Draco needs to escape from the control of his father and form his own life but how will he do that without being disinherited? His privacy and his name is very important to him so how will he cope when a certain green eyed man that he's been trying to forget about finds him and asks to write all the events of the war and use Draco's real name in his book? Will he hex him or will he help him?Maybe the book is what they both need in different ways. Maybe confronting the past together will help them both build their future or maybe it will finally break them...Should they share their story with the world?
Relationships: (past), Draco Malfoy/Harry Potter, Harry Potter/Fred Weasley, Hermione Granger/Ron Weasley, Lots more little romantic side ships!
Series: The Story universe [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1909669
Comments: 313
Kudos: 170





	1. Harry: Monday 5th September 2005 (morning)

**Author's Note:**

> A bit more story set up:  
> Obviously these characters and this world all belong to J.K. Rowling, not claiming them as my own as much as I'd like to! This is just fan-fiction and I'm in no way making money from this little hobby.  
> It is almost 100% canon-compliant with all the events of the books but Percy died in the explosion during the battle and not Fred, because I really wanted to write a fic with the Weasley twins as important characters. Also Harry and Ginny never happened. It ignores the epilogue and the later events of The Cursed Child (of course!!).  
> It’s written in 3rd person throughout but chapters will alternate between Harry and Draco’s viewpoints so the readers have access to both their thought processes at different times. At the beginning chapters overlap a bit in time to show you what Harry and Draco have each been up to that day/week but the dates are always written at the top of each chapter to help you out a bit!  
> There are other new and existing relationships in the background of the story but I'm not going to tag them as I think it's nice to not include all the information in the beginiing but to discover it all as you read!  
> *~*  
> Harry is pretty lost and lonely, he actually hates being an auror, he hates that the Ministry still wants to use him as their ‘Golden Boy’ and he hates the fact that no one really understands him. Everyone thinks they know him and what’s good for him but they don’t. All his friends are settling down and have found happiness, what will it take for him to be happy?  
> He’s sick of everyone assuming what happened during the war, the rumours, the exaggerations, the stupid fake unauthorised biographies. No one knows what really happened and how he feels, not even Ron & Hermione. The only people he gets no judgement from are Fred and George. Fred in particular helps Harry to be himself in a way that only he can. Even then, they both know what it is and it’s not love, not really. Is there a way that they could both find what they want?  
> Hermione tries to help Harry though, and when she suggests that he takes matters into his own hands and finally writes his own book telling the world the truth and how he feels he starts to think that maybe it’s a good idea...  
> *~*  
> Draco and his family escaped punishment thanks to Harry’s testimony after the war but Lucius hasn’t really changed and is still trying to control the life of his only son. Draco is fed up with the ‘Malfoy’ way and is trying to be his own man and make his own way in the world but he’s pretty lost and lonely too.  
> He can’t do what his father wants and marry a witch to produce an heir, it’s just not him, but that doesn’t stop him from longing for a family of his own one day, but with who? No one wants to date an ex-Death Eater. Besides, Draco knows who he wants really, deep down, he’s always known. It’s never going to happen though so he needs to just accept that and be alone forever.  
> He’s tried his best to completely forget about the war and move on. He uses his well practiced occlumency and meditation to block it all out and he’s good at it too. The trouble is it means he just never really feels anything anymore. One day though something comes along that forces him to confront it all and relive those moments. Maybe it’s exactly what he needs though…  
> *~*  
> This story is rated mature mostly for the issues that it deals with as we go along as they may be painful for some but it is not really that explicit. Also I just think it will appeal to a more mature audience but it probably would be fine in the category below I just wasn't quite sure yet as I haven't finished it so don't know quite how it will turn out!  
> There will be some scenes of a sexual nature as we progress through the story but they probably won't be that explicit, we'll see! It's much more of a romance story than a sex story (hence my username!) I'm also more interested in the plot of the story and the interactions/relationships between all the different characters.  
> *~*  
> The story isn't finished yet so it may take me a while to complete it so please be patient!  
> I am still writing it and uploading it as I go. I am now aiming to add a chapter every Monday, Wednesday and Friday at around 8pm/9pm UK time and then hopefully one chapter over the weekend too but that might be a bit hit or miss. This is a rough guideline though!  
> I will add tags as they come up as I'm not 100% sure how this story will turn out so just be aware of that!  
> This is actually my first ever Fan Fic so bear that in mind! I'm determined to finish it even if it's rubbish but the whole process is all new to me.  
> Eager (but also nervous!) to hear what your thoughts are as I've never had anyone read my work before so please let me know. I will happily except criticism as long as it's constructive, I'd very much like to improve as a writer.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We start the story with Harry at work and catch up on how he feels as an auror working at the Ministry.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This story is primarily about Draco and Harry writing a book but I just wanted to let you know what you're in for!  
> It's a very long fic and it has lots of little side stories, side characters and side relationships. Also includes lots of food, drink, talking about outfits and general fluff! :D  
> There will be some angst in the main plot but not too much and it will probably make you forget about the book a bit too and the whole premises of the story but don't worry it will still happen eventually! The book is used primarily as a means to bring Harry and Draco together at first but becomes the main plot point in the later half of the story once things have been established and settled down a bit.

It was Monday morning and Harry was sitting at his desk in the Ministry sorting through all the messages and the case files that he missed on his week off but his heart really wasn’t in it. He’d like to say that his week off was a lovely much needed holiday but it wasn’t like that at all. It had been more like a forced week of leave to get him out of the way after a rather unfortunate incident with a member of the public. Him and Ron had been on a fairly standard scouting patrol after a report from a witch who lived in a small wizard village. Harry had the familiar sense that someone was watching them and his gut was telling him that something wasn’t right. Suddenly there had been movement behind them and he’d distinctly heard someone start a spell beginning with ‘A’.

The Avada Kedavra killing spell was still at the forefront of his mind and he was always alert and suspicious. Before he’d had time to think he just relied on his instincts and acted. He’d simultaneously tackled Ron down to the ground and blasted the area behind them with a non-verbal stunning spell so hard that it had sent the random wizard flying and destroyed half of his front garden in the process. It turned out that the member of the public was simply coming out to his front garden, realised it was a bit dirty and was summoning his broom to sweep his path with a summoning spell. Ron had told him off for acting so rashly and had taken charge of the situation reviving the stunned wizard and apologising to him. The Ministry had come to put his front garden back together and had compensated him for the inconvenience. It hadn’t been a big deal really and had all been sorted out quite quickly, the trouble was that wasn’t the first time Harry had done something like that.

Being an auror was good at first in a way, it had kept him busy after the battle and stopped him thinking about things. Rounding up the remaining Death Eaters after the war had given him purpose and it was what he was good at. He’d been fighting his whole life really and his magic had been getting stronger and stronger. His instincts had been good at first and had constantly led him and his team to capture those who were still continuing Voldemort's work or in the run from the law. The other aurors had looked up to him and he’d lead them well. He wasn’t sure if he’d enjoyed it or not but at least it was something to do and something he could do well.

Together with Ron, Hermione, Kingsley and others they’d really succeeded in reforming the Ministry removing the corruption and making it a much better place to work for everyone. The danger had passed and this really was a time of peace now. That was a good thing of course but over the years it had made the work of an auror a bit more boring if he was honest, even though he felt bad for thinking it. Nowadays there wasn’t really any real danger, the work was mainly patrols, scouting, responding to public reports and paperwork. The crimes were mostly petty thefts or minor duels. All the other aurors seemed content with that and were enjoying a good work life balance. It seemed like it was only Harry who was unsettled by the lack of danger.

The war still haunted him and he didn’t know why. It had been seven years, everyone else had moved on and were focusing on their lives now but he just couldn’t. What was wrong with him? He didn’t know how to live in a time of peace, he was still paranoid everywhere he went and couldn’t help feeling on edge. His magic had grown so much stronger after the war, he’d trained hard when he first joined the aurors and he got so much more control over his power. He could act when he needed to and trust that his magic would do the right thing in the right way. Over the past couple of years though he’d slowly started losing control of it. It was small at first but the more uneasy he grew the less control he had and now he felt like he couldn’t trust it. Couldn’t trust himself. Sometimes he felt like he should talk to someone about it but he wasn’t sure who that person would be. He looked at Ron with his wife and child, a nice home to go back to after work, a family surrounding him, a good steady job and he couldn’t help feeling jealous.

Ron had used Percy’s death in the battle to fuel his desire to round up the rest of the Death Eaters after the war. It gave him the fire he needed at first and then over the years Ron had settled into his role. He was a good auror and the role had been good for him, he learnt well on the job. True, he wasn’t as powerful as Harry but he had more consistent control and his instincts were just as good. In fact in recent years Ron’s instincts had actually been better than Harry’s. Ron had got better at the job each year whereas Harry almost seemed to get worse. He knew he didn’t enjoy his job and he was beginning to think he was more of a liability for the department. He’d mentioned this several times to Ron and his boss Head Auror Robards but they always told him he was being silly. They assured him that he was the best asset they had and that he was brilliant at his job but he wasn’t so sure anymore. Really he wanted to quit but then what else would he do with his life?

Just then the Head Auror himself walked into the office that Harry shared with his partner Ron who had just left to get the next coffee round in.

“Morning Potter, how are you today?” Gawain Robards called out as he stood in front of Harry’s desk.

Harry had a good relationship with his direct boss but he still wasn’t sure if he really liked him or not. No doubt he was a good auror and a good leader, he had a great respect for Kingsley and he really cared about the Ministry and doing the right thing. He inspired the team and generally he was very fair, however, like many he had a bit of a soft spot for Harry which annoyed him a bit. He just wanted to be a normal part of the team and treated the same as everyone else but Auror Robards tended to think that Harry could do no wrong. He still treated Harry like the Saviour or The Chosen One and looked him at like he was the prized possession of the department.

“Morning sir, fine here thanks, yourself.” He replied respectfully.

“Yes, great here thank you, raring to go!” Gawain said enthusiastically. “Auror Weasley not around this morning?”

“He’s just gone to get us both some coffee sir, he should be back any minute.” Harry said.

“Right, well perhaps you could take your coffee in my office with me this morning, there’s something we should discuss.” He gestured next door to the office used by the Head Auror.

Harry sighed inwardly, he thought he’d probably be called in for a chat this morning after his week of forced leave. To be honest he wanted to be punished for it, it was what he deserved, he was expecting to be put on desk duty this week. This chat was probably a warning of how he should conduct himself in the field. It would be boring but he wasn’t sure he trusted himself in the field anymore. He’d made too many mistakes in the last year and usually his mistakes were always brushed under the carpet but not this time, this was bound to be the last straw. Normally he’d be worried about being fired but he knew the Ministry would never get rid of their hero and to be honest that kind of annoyed him too.

At that moment Ron walked back into the modest size office carrying two steaming mugs of coffee.

“Oh morning sir, sorry I didn’t know you were here or I would have brought you one too.” He said passing one of the mugs to Harry.

“Oh not to worry Weasley, I’ll grab one in my office.” Robards said with a smile, him and Ron always got on well and had a good level of respect for each other. “I am going to steal your partner away for a bit though but not to fear, you’ll have him back.” He gave Harry a playful slap on the shoulder as Harry stood up with his coffee in hand.

Harry and Ron exchanged a nod and a knowing smile before Harry followed the Head Auror out into the corridor and into the larger office next door. He sat down on one of the chairs by the large desk while his boss made two quick coffees in his small office corner kitchen and sat himself down the other side of the desk from Harry. Robards put a coffee in front of the empty chair next to Harry and started drinking the other.

Harry looked at the spare coffee next to him and turned to his boss.

“Sir?” He questioned.

“The Minister will be joining us in just a moment Potter but not to worry, you’re not in any trouble!” He said jovially.

If Kingsley was coming then this was a serious chat then. No doubt he was in for a warning but Robards said he wasn’t in any trouble. Probably meant it would just be a slap on the wrist and then back to work. He decided to just drink his coffee and stay quiet. He needed the caffeine hit anyway, he couldn’t get through most mornings without at least three coffees. Gawain seemed in good spirits and was chatting to Harry about the weekend he’d just had but Harry was only pretending to listen and nodding politely. Fortunately it wasn’t long before Kingsley walked in. Harry and his boss immediately stood up respectfully.

“Morning Minister” Robards said, shaking hands with the man first.

“Sir” Harry also shook hands with him.

He was genuinely pleased to see him, they had always had a good relationship. They didn’t always agree on everything but Kingsley definitely had Harry’s respect and he knew he was the best man for the job and it was tough job at that.

“Good to see you both” Kingsley also seemed in a good mood this morning. “I trust you had a good week off Harry, good to have some time to relax, you’ve earned it” Kingsley said with a warm hand on Harry’s shoulder.

“Hear hear!” Robards agreed enthusiastically as the three of them took their seats.

“Well it was OK I suppose, I just still feel bad for the reason I had to take it.” Harry said half honestly.

In truth it had been an awful week, he didn’t cope well with nothing to do and he had beaten himself up about how bad he was at his job now. He’d spent most of the week moping about at the flat with the twins as he often did these days going as far as to completely neglect his usual pre-evening workouts. He spent more time at the flat in Diagon Alley than his own house. Grimmauld Place was certainly nicer than it once was after he’d got the decorators in but it still didn’t quite feel like home and he wasn’t sure why that was. It was lonely there, sometimes that was a good thing, sometimes he needed to be alone and numb his mind with a bottle of firewhiskey.

Often though he enjoyed Fred and George’s company, they just never judged him for anything and they were oddly enough the only people he felt like he could truly be himself with. They always knew when to leave him alone or when to cheer him up with their joking relaxed attitude. Fred in particular had a way of making Harry forget the bad things in life and he was the closest Harry had to a real relationship even though they both knew what their arrangement really was. He still loved Ron and Hermione but Ron always treats him the same as he always did. Harry had changed and he didn’t really know who he was sometimes anymore. Ron thought he knew him better than anyone but Harry wasn’t so sure anymore. They saw each other at work everyday of course but outside of work Ron had his own life, Harry didn’t really have much of a life.

Harry used to see Hermione at work pretty much everyday too. The three of them often used to have lunch together at the Ministry and then there were pub nights with other Ministry colleagues, the twins and old school friends every Friday night too. Then Ron and Hermione had started wedding planning which had taken a bit of their focus and free time. Harry was happy for them of course but there were only so many conversations about flowers and colour schemes that he could take. Not long after the wedding Hermione had become pregnant and she hadn’t had an easy time of it. She’d been quite poorly during it and ended up taking maternity leave early so she was no longer around at work. Ron had often left early to go and look after her and he hardly ever joined pub nights after that. The others also started settling down and doing their own thing so pub nights had just slowly stopped over time.

Rose had been born 9 months ago. Harry had to admit that he loved her very much and he was so happy to be Godfather for the second time. In a way she had given his life more meaning and every cuddle he had with her made him happy. In another way though it had further separated the once inseparable trio. Ron and Hermione had Rose as their priority and so they should but she took up so much of their time that if Harry wanted to spend any time with them he had to go to theirs. Even when they were together the couple were constantly wanting to talk about their daughter and things just weren’t the same as they once were. Harry felt like everyone was moving on with their lives and leaving him behind.

Harry forced his mind back to the present conversation in the Head Auror’s office. Fortunately Robards and Shacklebolt were still exchanging pleasantries and chatting about their weekend whilst they drank their coffee so he hadn’t missed much. It was all very nice but Harry was wondering why he was really here and when he would be reprimanded. He couldn’t help but feel like the other two men were in too much of a good mood to start telling him off, it was almost as though they were celebrating something. All too soon they started telling Harry the real reason they called him in to have this little chat. It definitely wasn’t what Harry expected but the ‘good news’ they had for him just made him angry and frustrated. This really was the last straw.

*~*

An hour later Harry flooed directly from the Ministry into the sitting room of Fred and George’s modest flat above their shop in Diagon Alley as he often did after work. This time though it was at midday. He knew they’d have the shop open but hopefully it was quiet enough downstairs that he could rant to at least one of them. He made himself another coffee in the cosy kitchen but this time added a rather large splash of whiskey into the mug just to take the edge off. He started to sip his coffee but then ended up just reaching for the bottle of whiskey directly as he heard a set of footsteps coming up the stairs. He had just taken a swig from the bottle when Fred came into view.

“Harry? You know people usually wait until after work to come and raid our alcohol cupboard!” Fred said with a half smile but then when Harry looked up and made eye contact with him Fred’s face turned slightly more serious.

“Take it, the morning hasn’t gone well then...?” Fred said cautiously.

Harry sighed loudly and walked over to him. Without saying anything he just buried his head in the taller red-heads chest. Fred immediately wrapped his arms around him and kissed the top of his head.

“Hey, it can’t be that bad surely?!” He said with a smile hugging Harry tight.

Harry immediately just felt better by being in Fred’s arms. These arms just felt familiar and secure to him, it was the closest he had to feeling like he was coming home.

Fred had been his lifeline these past few years. Harry had wondered after his disastrous relationship with Cho whether it was normal at first to be so useless and awkward with relationships or whether there was actually something wrong with him. The whole thing had almost put him off dating and he had found that he wasn’t really that attracted to anyone else. Ginny had shown a bit of interest in him but he just didn’t see it, he liked her just not in that way but fortunately she had understood and there had been plenty of other guys who did want to date her. Then the war happened so dating hadn’t really been on anyone’s priority.

Immediately after the war Fred had come out openly as bisexual but it hadn’t really been a surprise to anyone after all the rumours that had circulated Gryffindor tower at school. So a few years later, once Harry had started to realise he was more attracted to males than females, Fred seemed the natural person to talk to. Coming out to Fred and George had been easy, they had been so accepting. They had encouraged him to start seeing some guys and to explore enough to find out what he liked. The muggle world had given him the anonymity to be able to do that and he could meet people just as ‘Harry’ which was nice.

For quite a while the twins had been the only ones that knew, they never put any pressure on him to tell anyone. Four years ago he’d finally come out to Ron and Hermione after he was getting sick of Ron trying to set him up with witches at work. Ron had been surprised, apparently he was a bit oblivious to it but he hadn’t been bothered at all. He’d simply laughed and then started asking Harry to rate all the wizards they worked with based on how attractive they were. Hermione, it turned out, had always known but she had been waiting for him to come to terms with it on his own. She’d given him the biggest hug and assured him how much they all loved him. The rest of the Weasleys and Andromeda, who he saw every week with Teddy, all had similar reactions and it honestly hadn’t really been a big deal after all.

Harry didn’t really mind people knowing now, it had spread to his small circle of friends and surrogate family as well as some of his closer colleges at work and he’d never had any negative reactions. He wasn’t ashamed of being gay or anything; he just tried to keep his private life to himself as much as possible. There had been some speculation in Witch Weekly if he was gay or not but Harry just never confirmed or denied anything. That was a method he used a lot with the publicity he faced. He’d had a fair few casual hook ups with muggles, some had just been one night, others had lasted a few months. Although it was nice to relax and not be famous Harry Potter with them, he obviously still couldn’t share a large part of his life with the men that didn’t know magic was real so none of them could turn into a real relationship. Not that he wouldn’t want a serious relationship with a muggle of course, if he found something worth it to explain everything to them but he hadn’t found anyone worth it and honestly, he couldn’t even explain everything to his magical friends, it would be too much for someone who didn’t understand their world. The trouble was in the wizarding world though, is that everyone he met thought they knew him but they really didn’t. Also he just couldn’t trust random wizards, how could he go on a first date with someone he didn’t know without worrying about them going to the Daily Prophet with everything he said the next day. He had no privacy in the Wizarding world.

After a couple of years of it he’d had enough and decided that casual relationships weren’t really for him. He wanted something real, someone to come home to after a long day at work, someone who he could trust and who knew him, someone who made him laugh and made him forget when he needed it but who wouldn’t judge him if he wanted to be alone or would listen to him when he did want to talk. He did have that with Fred but it wasn’t a proper relationship, it wasn’t real in that sense. It had started with a drunken kiss at a muggle club around three years ago when they woke up together in Fred’s bed the next morning it surprisingly didn’t feel awkward at all, it felt kind of right.

Harry had thought at first that maybe they could make a real relationship work but Fred had to have a serious chat with him. Fred said that he did love Harry in a way but that they couldn’t give each other everything they wanted. He found Harry very attractive and would happily provide any comfort he needed in any form, he would always be there for him but Fred was pretty adventurous in the bedroom and Harry had had enough experimenting to realise that he wasn’t really. Harry felt a bit useless at not being able to provide for all of Fred’s needs but when Fred suggested a sort of open relationship where he could sleep with others who could fulfil some of his fantasies Harry found he wouldn’t mind that at all. He couldn’t help but think if he was really in love with Fred he would be jealous but the fact that he wasn’t told him something. The other issue was that Fred knew he never wanted marriage or children, he told Harry that he wouldn’t change his mind about that, it just wasn’t for him and Harry knew deep down that he couldn’t give up the idea of being a dad for anyone. All he really wanted was a husband who could love him and their children, a proper family.

They had soon settled into their arrangement. Fred wouldn’t keep anything from George and Harry was fine with that. George was great about it and fully supportive, he trusted them both that they knew what they wanted and would never judge them. Ron and Hermione knew the gist of their ‘relationship’ but they didn’t understand it. Hermione was just so worried that someone would end up being hurt and Ron just did not understand why they couldn’t be together properly. Ron was a bit of an ‘all or nothing’ kind of guy, strangely he would probably be absolutely fine if Harry and Fred did get married but the idea of them having some casual thing involving sex seemed to really freak him out. Both him and Hermione were a little bit closed minded when it came to unconventional relationships. They brought it up so often at first that it had caused a bit of an argument between them but after a while they accepted that if Harry was happy and Fred was happy then it wasn’t any of their business and they wanted to keep Harry in their life. So now Ron and Hermione just never brought up relationships or dating around Harry.

After a while Fred had ended up telling Bill and Charlie too with Harry’s permission as he was pretty close to them and they’d already half worked it out. Bill had been a bit worried about someone being hurt too but he hadn’t gone on about it once they’d assured him that wasn’t the case. Charlie had a very similar reaction to George, so it was nice to be able to relax a bit around him too. Some others of their friends like Lee and Neville had figured out that Fred and Harry were sort of ‘friends with benefits’ during the occasional pub nights that still happened but most people just thought Harry was happily single and Fred liked playing the field.

Harry and Fred both knew that they weren’t in love with each other and that they were never going to get married and live happily ever after but they were happy enough and they were a constant support for each other. It was days like today that Harry felt really lucky to have someone to turn to. As soon as he left the Ministry he knew where he would go and he knew Fred wouldn’t mind. When Harry hadn’t answered him Fred had led him back into the sitting room and over to the sofa where he cuddled up with him. He’d just held him until Harry talked knowing he would when he wanted to. After a while Harry untangled himself from Fred and sat up casually summoning his alcoholic coffee from the kitchen through the open door and warming it up without even getting his wand out or uttering a single charm.

He took a sip and then turned to Fred who was sitting on the sofa waiting.

“Sorry I’m here, do you have the time, is George OK?” He asked genuinely worried about taking up Fred’s time during the day, something he didn’t often do as he knew how seriously Fred and George took their business.

Fred smiled at him and gave an encouraging nod. “It’s fine Harry, you know that I’ll always make time for you. Besides Verity is in today handling the shop, George and I were just doing the owl mail orders but you know how boring I find them, you’re doing me a favour.” He joked.

“Ok, well thanks.” Harry said drinking a bit more coffee and taking a deep breath.

“I finally did it,” He said quietly. “I finally quit.” He felt like he was telling himself as well as Fred as it hadn’t really sunk in yet.

Fred was obviously surprised by this and let out a long low breath of air before speaking. “Merlin Harry, you serious?”

After Harry nodded Fred held his hand out for the whiskey coffee Harry was drinking and he held it out for him to take without a word. Fred took a large gulp and sighed before passing the mug back to Harry.

“I know I’ve been telling you to quit for years but I just never thought you’d actually do it and I really didn’t think Kingsley would let you go.”

“He didn’t want to but I just didn’t leave him much choice!” Harry said, finishing his drink and setting the mug on the coffee table in front of them.

Another set of footsteps was coming up the stairs very loudly before a voice called out from behind the door.

“Put your clothes back on, I’m coming in!”

“George we’re not doing anything you prat.” Fred called back whilst giving Harry a bit of glance in silent questioning.

Harry knew what he was asking and nodded his head. Even though George couldn’t do some of the things that Fred did to help him relax, there was nothing he couldn’t say to Fred that he couldn’t also say to his twin.

George hesitated slightly by the door that he had just slowly opened kindly giving the occupants of the room time to tell him to bugger off if he wasn’t wanted but Fred gave him a little knowing nod and George slowly came into view.

“Well I can’t take any chances now can I after the last time Harry decided he needed a lunchtime shag, saw way more than I wanted to that day.”

“That was one time George-” Harry started.

“-and you know you loved it.” Fred finished with a wink.

“I hate it when you finish Harry’s-” George started.

“-sentences and not mine.” Fred joined in and the twins said together.

“That’s better!” George said as Fred rolled his eyes and Harry laughed.

He could always count on the twins to make him laugh.

“Anyway, I’m just getting some lunch cos I need to give Verity her break at one you guys can catch me up on what I’ve missed while I eat.” He said whilst heading into the kitchen.

“Ah the firewhiskey is open already, should I be worried?” He called out from the other room.

“Harry’s finally told the Ministry to shove it.” Fred called back.

“Merlin’s bollocks have you really?” George said coming back into the room with a sandwich and a bowl of crisps. He put the bowl in the middle of the coffee table before sitting in the armchair opposite the couple on the sofa. “Drink away then mate.” He said as he waved his wand in the direction of the kitchen and the bottle came floating towards Harry.

Harry took it when it came close and took another swig from the bottle.

“He still hasn’t said why though.” Fred pointed out.

“Did they make Ron your boss? I’d quit after that!” George joked.

“No, that was the problem, they should have done but they didn’t, they made me his boss.” Harry said flatly.

“What?!” The twins said together.

“So let’s get this straight-” Fred started.

“-they promoted you-” George filled in.

“-you so quit?” Fred finished.

“Pretty much.” Harry sighed knowing he’d have to explain it in full.

He took another small swig of firewhiskey and then set the bottle on the table. George was eating his sandwich and Fred was tucking into the crisps, they were both looking at Harry waiting for him to elaborate.

“Gawain and Kingsley called me in for a chat and I thought it would be a bit of a telling off, I think I’d have preferred that it’s what I deserve… anyway, turns out Williamson is taking early retirement so Robards is taking over as head of Magical Law Enforcement and they wanted me to be Head Auror.”

“Woah Head Auror at 25! That’s…” George started but he didn’t quite know how to finish.

Fred shut down George’s enthusiastic response when he saw the look on Harry’s face.

“That’s not what you want, is it Harry?” Fred said gently resting a hand on Harry’s knee.

Harry was shaking his head. “It might have been once, maybe, if I felt like I’d earned it, but it’s the same problem over and over again. They’re only giving me the position because of who I am, it would be great for the Ministry to have Harry Potter as their Head Auror and I feel like it’s what everyone expects of me, the natural next step… but is it really what I want? Everyone is constantly telling me who I am, what I should do and what I want. I don’t even like my job! I haven’t liked it for years! Plus I’m not good at it any more, my instincts are all off now and my magic is too strong, I don’t have control of it. I’ve had four incidents that have led to forced leave in the last two years, that’s more than most people in the department! I should be facing disciplinary action, if I was Head Auror I’d have fired me! Now, not only have they let me off the hook because of who I am, they actually want to reward me for it, it doesn’t make sense.”

“I get that Harry, I really do. I think you’re being too harsh on yourself, I’m sure you do still deserve it but-” George started.

“-what you deserve more than anything is to be happy. If this is not what you want then I’m glad you walked away from it.” Fred finished.

“Thanks. I knew you guys would get it.” Harry said quietly.

“Would have liked to see Kingsley’s face though!” George joked.

“He was actually pretty good about it, I think he might have even expected it.” Harry replied. “Robards didn’t get it all and was trying everything to get me to stay but Kingsley knew I’d made up my mind even though he said I’d be missed. I told them it should be Ron though and I meant it. I know you guys tease him but he’s actually really good. He’s always been in my shadow, always been my partner and second best. Everyone gives me the credit for our efforts as a partnership, yes our stats are the best of the department but no one seems to understand that I couldn’t have done most of it without him. He’s solved most of our cases and he jumps into the field with the most appropriate spell. His instincts are good and his confidence has grown a lot, he’d be a good leader and he deserves it more than I do. So I convinced them to give it to him and let me leave. Ron won’t need a partner as Head Auror anyway and it will soften the blow of me leaving for him, he’s the main reason I haven’t left before to be honest. Once they got their disappointment out the way they didn’t need much convincing. They both respect Ron a lot and his record speaks for itself, he has a lot of love in the department, he’ll be fine.”

“That’s really good of you Harry.” Fred said.

“Wow, little Ronniekins as Head Auror, who would have thought it!” George joked.

“Just do me a favour ok?” Harry said sternly. “Never tell him they offered it to me first, I don’t want him to know that and act surprised when he tells you his news!”

“Hmm if you insist.” George said with a fake scowl.

“I’m sure we can think of other things to tease him with!” Fred said, giving a firm look at his twin.

Harry knew that as much as they joked about it, they loved Ron and they wouldn’t ruin this for him.

“I expect he’ll come round later and want to tell you the news, your mum will probably want to throw a party to celebrate too so let’s just let him have his moment.” Harry said.

Fred and George were both rolling their eyes. “Oh mum will definitely throw a party!” They said together.

“So you didn’t speak to Ron before you left?” Fred asked.

“No…” Harry shifted awkwardly. “I dunno, I just felt angry about the whole thing still and I didn’t want to see him like that, you know I’m not very good at hiding my feelings sometimes. I don’t think I could have lied to him and he wouldn’t have got it. I convinced Gawain and Kingsley to get Ron in and tell him that we’d just had a chat about my conduct and that we’d all agreed it would be best if I left as my heart just wasn’t in it anymore. We’re also going with the line that they told me they would be promoting Ron and that he wouldn’t need a partner anymore so that meant it was the right time for me to leave. I’ll have to apologise for him later for not telling him myself but I think he’ll be so happy with his promotion that he’ll forgive me.”

“Yeh, I guess that’s fair.” George shrugged.

“I’m proud of you, you know, for having the guts to walk away and thinking about yourself and about Ron.” Fred said gently as he shifted up the sofa to put his arm around Harry and pull him close.

Harry responded by leaning into Fred’s touch and wrapping an arm round him too.

George looked at them and grinned. “Right well I guess that’s my cue to leave. I’ll go give Verity her lunch break seeing as it looks like you’re slacking off this afternoon brother!”

“Harry needs me!” Fred said with a shy little grin pulling Harry even closer.

“Yeh sure, any excuse!” George said, shaking his head and standing up. “I’ll cover for you this afternoon but you owe me!” He said as he walked out of the first floor flat and towards the stairs to the shop below.

Once George had gone Fred placed a hand on the side of Harry’s chin and turned his face up towards him so he could capture his mouth in a long loving kiss. Even though it wasn’t perfect, Harry was grateful that as part of their unconventional relationship Fred could still be the loving supportive boyfriend that Harry wanted. Physical affection was important to Harry and Fred always knew what he needed.

After they pulled apart, Fred started running his hands through Harry’s hair as Harry placed his head on Fred’s chest.

“So whatcha gonna do now?” Fred asked after a while.

“I was thinking of drinking the rest of that whiskey and shagging you all afternoon.” Harry replied half-joking.

Fred laughed. “As much as that sounds lovely, I meant with your life as a job you know?”

Harry sighed. “I know what you meant... but I have no bloody clue!”

“Well I suppose we can start with your plan for the afternoon and then think about the rest later!” Fred said with a cheeky grin as he slid his hand under Harry’s shirt and along the bare skin of his back.


	2. Draco: Monday 5th September 2005 (morning)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We start with Draco's side of the story here and catch up with what he's been doing since the war and what his plans are now.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As promised, here is the Draco chapter to show you what he was doing that Monday morning!  
> It's even more text heavy (sorry) but there is a lot to set up with him! Hope the way I've done it is OK!

Monday morning for Draco was also pretty eventful. Today, after almost a year of planning and building up to it, he was finally moving out of the Manor and starting his own life away from his controlling parents. He was standing in his new flat looking around, sure living here would take some getting used to as it was pretty small and basic compared to his usual living standards but it was the first thing in his life that was completely his. He owned this building and his father couldn’t do anything to take it away from him. 

It had taken most of his savings to buy but he was planning on making it a business too so it would give him income. He’d only sealed the deal last Friday after lots of negotiating and he’d been keyed into the wards about an hour ago. The shop and the flat above had been empty for quite a while so Draco was able to knock the prize down quite a bit. Although it needed sprucing up a bit, the main living space upstairs was habitable and furnished so he wasn’t planning on hanging around the Manor any longer than he had to. By the end of the day he’d have his personal possessions packed up and moved in. The rest he could do whilst already living here. 

His parents had been supportive of his plans at first. After the war his mother was just so happy that the three of them were still alive that for a while she was more loving than Draco had ever known. His father hadn’t exactly been loving but Draco could tell how relieved he was too and he knew deep down that his father was happy that the war was over and they’d survived. They’d done very well to escape Azkaban, especially his father, and annoyingly they had Potter to thank for that with his defence at their trials. When they’d come back to the Manor afterwards though it had still felt like a prison sentence for Draco. Every room had bad memories now after it was used as a headquarters for the Death Eaters. The space felt suffocating for him and he had to escape. 

Additionally he already knew that he didn’t want to just follow in his father’s footsteps. Doing that so far had only caused him misery, being forced to become a Death Eater because his father was one was the worst thing that had ever happened to him and he couldn’t forgive his father for dragging their family into the war on the wrong side. The Malfoy name was dirt now but his father was acting like the war hadn't even happened. Draco used to be proud to be a Malfoy but now he hated it, everywhere he went everyone knew what that name meant and they were disgusted by it. Being a Malfoy used to open doors but now it was more of a barrier.

Lucius was still determined that Draco would become a businessman or a politician. He wanted him to have influence in the Ministry like his father once had and was grooming him to take over the Malfoy enterprise but it wasn’t what Draco wanted. He felt like his life was already mapped out for him and that he didn’t have a choice in it. Draco wanted something that was actually his, that he’d earned the hard way. He needed to prove to himself that he could achieve something just as Draco not as a Malfoy. Potions had always been his favourite, it required patience and discipline. It was relaxing but also challenging and provided Draco with hours where he could focus on the cauldron and forget everything else. The end result always felt rewarding too and the vials of perfect potions gave Draco something he could be proud of. 

He’d managed to convince Beauxbatons to allow him to attend for a year after the war in order to his N.E.W.T.S and surprisingly his parents were supportive of the idea. They wanted him to get his qualifications and even though his mother didn’t want him so far away she could understand why he wanted to get out of the country for a bit and thought it might be good for him. His potions professor at the French school had been impressed with his talent and had really taken him under his wing. He’d encouraged him to stay in France and do a joint masters in potions and alchemy and had been Draco’s personal mentor in the programme. The course had taken three years but it had been the best thing that Draco had ever done. 

He’d lived in the Malfoy Chateau during that time and had ended up staying in France for an additional year after the course experimenting with making his own potions and even a range of his own magical bath products, shampoo, skincare, perfume and after-shaves. He’d worked lots with magical plant extracts and essential oils. Draco dedicated himself fully to his work for the five years he was in France and he knew he was good at what he did. France had been a way of escaping and having his own time away to figure out who he was and what he wanted. The country would always hold a special place in his heart and he fondly remembered childhood holidays there but it still wasn’t home. 

He found himself missing England and he knew that if he wanted to start his own business then it would be best to do it here. The market in France was already saturated but he thought that some of his more parisian inspired cosmetics would sell well in England, there wasn’t really anything like that for the witches and wizards of London. Draco was also under pressure from his parents to come home and he couldn’t put them off any longer. He wanted to get his own place but he was patient, he could play the long game and stick to his plan.

He started to clean his new living space up with some household spells that he’d been practising slowly clearing away the layers of dust. He transfigured the simple wooden bed frame into a black iron one that was slightly more elegant and familiar. He looked at the stained lumpy mattress with disgust and thought that he’d rather just buy a new one. He fixed the broken wooden wardrobe and changed the colour of the wood from dark brown to white to contrast against the black wooden floorboards. The door handle became silver and he changed the chest of drawers to match. He only had space in here for one wardrobe and one chest of drawers so he would probably have to shrink and store all his clothes quite carefully.

His single reception room had a small corner kitchen near the door leading downstairs with a breakfast bar and a single rickety stool. In the same room but nearer the bedroom and the bathroom doors was a single threadbare armchair and a broken wooden coffee table. He couldn’t quite visualise what he wanted in the space yet. He could mend furniture easily and transfigure it as long as he kept it simple but that still gave him limited choices with the items in the room. He couldn’t conjure new furniture out of thin air, conjuring was tricky and usually people specialised in a branch of conjuring in their careers, so he’d definitely have to go shopping for curtains, cushions, rugs, pictures that sort of thing. He freshened up the space with cleaning charms, mended the table and transfigured the armchair into a more elegant dark green chesterfield sofa. That would do for now. Blaise was planning to stop by on his lunch break to finally check out the building that Draco had told him so much about. It really wasn’t much but Draco knew that his friend would understand how much this meant to him. He was really grateful to have Blaise in his life now.

At school his gang had been Greg, Vincent, Theo and Pansy but they weren’t really friends. He’d grown up around them but his father had always instilled in him the hierarchy that the Malfoys were above the Crabbe, Goyle and Nott families so they were more henchmen than friends. As far as Pansy was concerned, their mothers had always been close and it was always assumed that Draco and Pansy would get married one day, something which Pansy was thrilled about so she hung around him as much as she could but Draco less so. Honestly, he had always found her really annoying. The Parkinson’s had somehow managed to stay neutral in the war and had since deliberately distanced themselves from the other Slytherin families. Draco had heard that they’d moved to America now to start over. After Vincent and his father had both died during the final battle. Greg and Theo had both gone into hiding with their families but eventually both their dads had been found and imprisoned. Draco didn’t know where Greg and Theo were now but he didn’t particularly want to see them again and his parents were obviously no longer in contact with their families. 

Therefore Draco was left friendless and alone after the war, or so he thought. The only person he’d actually really liked at school had been Blaise even though it had taken them a while to become friends. Their families didn’t know each other and Blaise was always kind of on the outside of their group at school for that reason, he wasn’t one of the sacred 28 and he didn’t know who his biological father was so he wasn’t even sure if he was pure-blood or not which made the others look down their noses at him slightly. They grew closer during fifth year though and Draco found he liked his company. Sixth year though Draco had pushed everyone away from him, especially Blaise. Blaise could be neutral in the war, he didn’t have the same family ties to it like the other boys had and Draco didn’t want him to be dragged into it. Blaise had been OK, he’d had Daphne, the two of them had always been best friends.

Surprisingly Blaise had contacted Draco after the war and made the effort to reconnect with him, he was the only one that did. They’d exchanged letters and occasionally Blaise had even come to visit Draco in France. Once Daphne had even come too and Draco found himself enjoying her company even though they’d hardly exchanged two words together at school. It was nice to know that moving back to England he would have one or possibly even two friendly faces. Over the past two years since moving back to Wiltshire both Blaise and Daphne have proven to be the first real friends Draco has ever had. It took him a while to learn to trust them and open up to them. At first he was just sticking to his plan and coping with all his problems on his own but he had started to see the benefits in having people he could talk to. 

Immediately after moving back to the manor his parents had started talking about the need for him to start formally courting a suitable witch so he could get married and then produce an heir for the Malfoy line. His father said that they’d allowed Draco to “go have his fun in France” but now it was time for him to put the family first and do what was expected of him. Draco planned to do no such thing but he needed to bide his time. He knew that if he told his father his plans straight away he would risk being disinherited. He’d decided a long time ago that he didn’t really care about that but he needed to save up his own money before he could make a break for it and strike out on his own. He had no doubt that his father would block him from all of the Malfoy vaults if he knew what he had planned. 

Draco had access to the general Malfoy family vault and he had used it a few times over the years to buy potions equipment and ingredients but he knew his father kept a very close eye on it and any large withdrawals would be questioned. He only had one vault that was his alone which had his trust fund in. He’d gained access to it once he came of age and he was the only one that had access to it. It had a reasonable amount in it, enough to invest in his business and also to buy a small place of his own but that would pretty much be it and he needed something to live off too. There was a much larger vault that was in his name but he would only have access to it once he got married to someone his parents approved of so he doubted he’d ever see that money. 

His mother did love him in her own way, he knew that. The war had softened her at first and she was the one that encouraged his father to allow Draco time to live a little of his own life in France even though she didn’t want him to go. She had even managed to persuade Lucius that Draco could choose his own wife as long as she was from a respectable family and he announced his engagement by the time he was 25. If not then when he was 25 his parents would choose someone for him and he’d have to go along with it. It was actually better than he could have hoped for and it gave him time to plan his escape. 

He’d spent the last two years perfecting his products and selling them to private clients by owl mail order. It had taken a while to build up a client base but Blaise and Daphne had helped a lot buying them and gifting them to everyone they knew telling them where they got them from. Draco had actually managed to make some really good potions and cosmetics so his customers were impressed and kept coming back for more as well as recommending him to their friends. He’d actually build up a really good small business and it was proving quite lucrative so he’d managed to add to his savings. 

However, in the weeks leading up to his 25th birthday he’d still not managed to find the right property for the right price. He’d started to lose hope when Daphne stepped up in a way he could never have expected. She offered to get fake engaged to him to buy him some more time with his parents. He had refused of course, he could never ask that of her and he didn’t like relying on others but she had insisted and he began to realise that it might be his only choice. Daphne was really close to her parents and they were very supportive of her. When she told them that it was only a fake engagement they weren’t thrilled with the idea as it would be officially announced in the paper and they were very worried about her future prospects of finding an actual husband after that. Daphne spoke to them at length and they said they wouldn’t stop her as long as she was sure she knew what she was doing. Draco’s parents were very happy with it as the Greengrasses were a very respectable pure-blood family who had stayed neutral in the war. It was perfect really.

Life with parents had become more harmonious than Draco was used to after their engagement was announced that Draco was almost tempted to ask Daphne if she could possibly marry him for real. It wasn’t the first time he thought that maybe he could make getting married to a witch work. He thought maybe he could grit his teeth and produce an heir with her and the rest of the time they could live as they saw fit as friends or companions. The trouble was that Draco was so fond of Daphne that he really wanted her to have the life she wanted. He knew that deep down she wanted to fall in love and get married for real and there was no way he was going to ask her to give that up for him.

Draco had first realised he was gay during third year. He’d never really thought about it before then, he’d always been told by his parents that he would get married to a pure-blood witch one day and that would be that. However, when he was 13 he’d accidentally witnessed two older boys kissing in a dark corner of the Slytherin common room and he couldn’t get the sight out of his head. Suddenly it just seemed to make sense to him and then he started noticing boys who he found attractive everywhere. It didn’t bother him at first, he just thought he could still marry a witch and just maybe fool around with wizards on the side when he was older. He was at that age where he was convinced he could have anything he wanted and he could make it work. There was a moment during fourth year that included hot guys, dragons and one particular boy on a broomstick, where he hated himself for being gay. The rest of that year he really tried to will himself straight and convince himself he could make it work with Pansy but when she had kissed him after the yule ball he knew it was foolish to ever think that. It was revolting. 

After that he’d just put all thoughts of dating and sex on the back burner and thought he’d just have to figure it out when he was older. The fact that the Dark Lord was reborn after his fourth year and effectively took over his house might have also had something to do with it. In France it had been nice to get away from the people that knew him and would judge him. It allowed him to experiment a bit and date a few wizards to find out what he liked. It was fun but it had been mostly just sex, he’d never found anyone who he trusted enough to start a real relationship with. Since coming back to England he knew he couldn’t risk hooking up with anyone here and he’d gotten a bit fed up with meaningless sex anyway so e just resigned himself to the fact that he’d be alone for the rest of his life now.

Blaise had asked him outright if he was gay on one of his trips to France all those years ago. Draco had panicked at first and tried to lie but Blaise had just laughed and told Draco that he was bisexual so there was no judgement from him. It had been the first time Draco had ever knowingly spoken to someone who wasn’t straight and he was so relieved to not be the only one. He actually found he liked Blaise’s direct approach and after that day they’d been very honest with each other. Blaise had even offered to have a little fun with Draco but Draco had quite a specific type and just wasn’t attracted to his friend that way. He also preferred his partners to be strangers, he never allowed himself to get close to them so it would feel weird to him doing anything with someone he actually knew. Daphne knew now too and she was very supportive and non-judgemental. Draco always thought that Blaise and Daphne might get together but apparently they were so close that they basically saw each other as brother and sister.

Before he knew it Draco had spent so long cleaning, sorting and reminiscing about how he’d gotten to this point that it was lunchtime and the doorbell on the front of the currently closed shop downstairs rang. Draco lazily apparated downstairs to the front of the shop and unlocked the door with a flick of his wand so that Blaise could come in. 

Blaise opened the door upon seeing Draco through the top glass door panel and came in.

“Great, I wasn’t quite sure if this was the right place, I expected it to be smaller to be honest from the way you described it.” Blaise said as he closed the door behind him.

“Well I suppose in relation to other shops it’s a decent size. It probably looks bigger at the moment though as it’s empty.” Draco said casually.

“It’s a really great location though you’re right about that. Right opposite the Weasley’s joke shop though... Best part of Diagon Alley for sure but you OK with being that close to them?” Blaise inquired giving Draco a calculating look.

Draco had his best emotionless face on and spoke slowly and carefully. “Well, it was actually the Weasley twins that told me about this shop being available and that it had been empty for a while.”

“Oh I see.” Blaise said with a raised eyebrow. “And how is it that you’re on speaking terms with them?” He asked with a hint of intrigue but no judgement. 

“They’ve actually been quite big customers of mine for a while.” Draco explained to Blaise very nonchalantly as if it was no big deal as Blaise was looking around the shop space. 

“They contacted me over a year ago, apparently a friend of theirs was really impressed with my potions. I don’t know who exactly, I have a number of anonymous clients but they said that he really recommended my dreamless sleep, calming, headache and hangover potions so I think I know which client it is. I would worry about them if I cared enough but you know, not really my business and they pay me well for them whoever they are. All I know is that they get the potions delivered directly to their house elf and that the money goes into my vault. Anyway, the twins said they were looking for a potions expert to collaborate with on some of their products but they needed to meet me in person to work on them. They offered me a lot of money to be honest, they must be doing well, and I really needed the money but I said I needed to keep my anonymity so I couldn’t meet with them. At first we were sending letters back and forth for a while and I was helping them with their products that way but it wasn’t ideal, really I needed to see the products for myself so I said I would meet with them in disguise. Anyway, we ended up working together for a few months before one day, one of them accidentally called me Malfoy.”

Blaise turned round at this news in surprise and Draco gave a little smile.

“Yes I was surprised too and a little annoyed that they’d clearly figured it out through my disguise.” Draco continued. “It turned out that they’d known for a while but they just really didn’t care and they respected the fact that I didn’t want anyone to know. They were actually really complimentary about my work though and said they needed me. Like I said they paid me well and they actually seem like decent guys you know. I know I was a bit of a judgemental dick to all the Weasleys but it was only really the one Weasley that I didn't like, the others I never really knew and Fred and George are OK really. I mean, we’re not friends or anything obviously, it’s just a professional relationship. They really care about their products and they know I’m the best so it works. They said they would never tell anyone it was really me and I’m actually grateful to them for telling me about this place.”

Blaise seemed impressed. “Good for them. I told you not everyone cares about a name. We’re all different people now and the war was seven years ago.” He paused for a minute thinking about something. 

“So how have the years treated them? I heard some… interesting rumours about one of them at school, I wonder if they’re true.” He said with a bit of a smirk.

“Merlin Blaise please do not tell me you’re thinking of the Weasley twins in that way!” Draco said, shaking his head in disbelief.

“What?!” Blaise said, shrugging. “You know I’m not fussy! I’m just intrigued that’s all… I’ve never had a redhead.”

“Now that’s an image that I really didn’t need.” Draco said, rolling his eyes. “Anyway, let's talk shop, what do you think?”

“It’s great Draco!” Blaise said, smiling. “I mean it needs some work of course but that’s easily done, it’s a really good versatile space and you can really make it your own…. I’m proud of you.” He added after a pause.

“Come one Blaise, don’t get sentimental on me.” Draco said in mock annoyance but really he was smiling inside.

“I’m thinking of having all the gift baskets in the window, the perfumes on shelves over there and shelves here for aftershaves and eau de colognes. There will be display tables there and there with the other products separated by gender. Then the till will go along here and then behind on that back wall will be all the ready made potions for people to buy over the counter.” Draco said walking around the space and pointing out certain areas.

“Obviously people will still be able to make up custom gift baskets and order bespoke products at the counter too. Those are the big money makers and we can send them directly to the recipients. Daphne knows enough to speak to customers at the counter about their orders and advise them on what I can do. Anyone who has really specific orders that they need to speak to me about can come into my small office that I’m going to put at the back through here, I’ll be in disguise of course but should be ok. Then there will be a storage and packaging room at the back beyond that. The cellar is perfect for a potions lab and then I can live upstairs.” He finished waiting for Blaise’s reaction.

“I could definitely see that all working and you’ve obviously thought it all through.” Blaise said looking around and nodding in approval. “Daphne will be great with the customers too. She can sell anything with her cunning Slytherin charm and it doesn’t hurt that she’s nice to look at.” 

“Well no I suppose it doesn’t but you know that’s not why I’m hiring her.” Draco said, rolling his eyes at his friends one track mind. 

“I’m really lucky to have her, I really don’t think I could trust anyone else to run the shop floor like that when I can’t do it myself. It’s hard for me to give up control like that but I just don’t think my business will be successful if people associate it with the Malfoy name. I can’t even afford to pay her much. she's way too good to me. I’ll have to make it up to her when I can.” Draco said seriously.

“You know she wouldn’t offer if she didn’t mind Draco, I mean she’s nice enough but she’s not that kind and she’s not doing it for the money. She’s bored out of her mind at home all day, it will do her some good to actually work like the rest of us anyway!” Blaise said, smiling.

Draco snorted. “Yes because you work really hard!”

“Excuse me! I work… sometimes! Perks of being your own boss!” Blaise smirked arrogantly. “Although I’ll admit I haven’t really got anything to do today, Harper is getting all the paperwork done and I’ve pushed any client meetings until tomorrow so I’m free for the rest of the day for anything you need.”

Draco frowned. “You didn’t have to do that, I thought you were just here on your lunch break.”

“People can come to me for financial advice any other day of the year, their investment opportunities can wait! It’s not every day that my best friend tells his controlling parents to stuff it and moves into his own place. Besides I wanted to see the look on Lucius’ face when you tell him, you won’t deny me that will you?!”

“Argh don’t.” Draco sighed. “I don’t care what my father thinks but I do feel a little bit bad for my mother, she’s so excited about the wedding plans and it probably will really upset her, I’m not looking forward to it and I don’t know how to do it.”

“I know, I thought you’d say that.” Blaise said seriously. “How about we go get some lunch then we can head over to the Manor. We can get your stuff packed and shrunk first so we’re ready to make a break for it and then I could subtly distract your father while you tell your mother? Then you can give your father hell and we’ll run for it!” 

“That’s actually not a bad plan. You sure you don’t mind?”

“Not at all, we’ve been waiting for this day for ages and it’s finally happening! We’ll celebrate tonight with Daphne, come on!” Blaise clapped a hand on Draco’s shoulder.

“What would I do without you?!” Draco said in a joking way even thought the sentiment was entirely serious.

“Don’t worry I’m writing down all the favours I’ve given you and will expect full payment in return one day with interest.” Blaise said as he turned towards the front door.

“I’d expect nothing less from a financial man!” Draco said before calling out again. “Blaise, back door.” He said gesturing behind him and locking the front door with a swish of his wand. 

Blaise turned and gave Draco a firm look. “You can’t hide from the world forever Draco.” He said seriously but nonetheless he turned and headed back towards him.

“I can!” Draco said as he turned towards the back door.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As ever, I'd love to hear your thoughts so far.  
> That's all I'm uploading for now as I'm hoping for some comments to gauge opinions but I do have another 8 chapters finished so will probably uploaded one a week maybe as I'm writing the rest... I'll see! But it definitely will be finished!


	3. Harry: Monday 5th September (evening) to Friday 9th September

It was around 4 o’clock in the afternoon when Harry and the twins both received notes from Ron telling them to come to the Burrow for dinner tonight as he had an announcement to make. Harry’s letter also said that Ron had heard his news about quitting and wanted to talk to him. 

“Well I guess we’d better go.” Harry sighed as he dragged himself out of Fred’s bed and started to get dressed.

“Yep, no getting out of this one!” Fred said stretching out lazily not caring that he was still naked. “Why the Burrow though and not Ron and Hermione’s? Won’t they need to put Rose to bed at some point?” 

“Rose has been at your parents all day anyway, remember it was Hermione’s first day back at work today so they would have been going back to the Burrow to pick her up after work. Molly is looking after Rose sagin tomorrow so I wouldn’t be surprised if she kept her overnight now, besides the Burrow is bigger for all of us.” Harry pointed out, still getting dressed.

“Oh yeah, totally forgot Hermione was back today!” Fred said.

“She was going on and on about it yesterday at Sunday lunch!” Harry said picking up Fred’s boxers from the floor and throwing them at him. 

“Like I was listening!” Fred said reluctantly getting himself up.

Harry rolled his eyes. “No, you were too busy trying to get Teddy to turn his hair green!” 

Fred took the boxers that Harry had thrown and started getting dressed too. “Well I know how much he wants to look like you but I just feel like black is such a boring option! He’s not making the most of his abilities!” 

Harry was looking into Fred’s small mirror trying to make his hair look even slightly better. Fred laughed at him. 

“What?!” Harry said looking in his direction. “I can’t very well turn up at your parents house looking like I’ve been thoroughly shagged all afternoon can I?”

“Harry your hair always looks like you’ve been thoroughly shagged even when you haven’t! There’s no hope!” Fred pointed out. “Besides, it’s not like they don’t all know what we get up to even if they don’t like to think about it.” 

Harry swore at him under his breath and then checked the time on his watch. He frowned as he remembered something and turned back to Fred.

“Wait, don’t you have plans tonight? It’s Monday... we never spend Monday evenings together.” He pointed out slightly awkwardly.   
Fred gave him a knowing look. “You don’t think I cancelled my plans the minute I could after you turned up at midday looking pissed off and drinking whiskey?!”

“You didn’t have to do that Fred... I know what the arrangement is... I’m sorry.” Harry muttered, hanging his head.

Fred, who was now completely dressed again, walked over to Harry and cupped the sides of his face. “Harry, you know I’ll always put you first.” He said as he bent to give Harry a soft kiss on the lips. He withdrew and gave him a cheeky smile. “Plus, I’ve had a lot more sex than I usually do on a Monday afternoon.” He said dropping his hands and giving Harry’s arse a quick slap.

“Yes... but it’s not the sort of sex that you like.” Harry said quietly and a bit embarrassed. 

Fred sighed. “Harry don’t do that to yourself, we’ve had this discussion. I love having sex with you. Yes I have a more deviant side that I like to explore from time to time but it’s hardly a necessity! I can wait until next week for that, it's really no big deal.”

“If you’re sure.” Harry said with a half smile looking up at Fred again.

“I’m sure.” Fred said adamantly, putting his hands on Harry’s waist and pulling him closer again. “You’re... a… damn… good… fuck... Harry... Potter!” He said giving him little kisses all over between each word.

Harry was laughing and pushing him away.

“Besides,” Fred said, stepping back from Harry, “technically you just got me out of work for the afternoon, it’s my darling brother who is calling us away for the evening.”

“That’s true I suppose.” Harry agreed as he followed Fred out of his bedroom and back out to the lounge. 

“I’d better go tell George and see if he needs any help closing up. Are you coming with us or shall we meet you there?” Fred asked.

“I’ll meet you there, I should probably go home and shower and put something more casual on rather than these work clothes.” Harry replied.

“You have clothes here.” Fred pointed out.

“I know,” Harry shrugged. “But I want to do my workout as well, I’ve been neglecting it, plus my shower is better than yours!” He said teasing.

“Alright Mr ‘I-have-a-fancy-house-but-I-never-use-it’! Even though I hate missing your workout, I like it when you do it here!” Fred teased back. 

Harry laughed. “Yes I know you do but I’m still not sure George appreciates me doing push ups in his living room!” 

“He just gets jealous that he can’t keep up with you!” Fred said reaching over and giving Harry’s biceps a suggestive squeeze. 

“Well I’m not doing them here today, I need to make up for my week of laziness so I want to go for a run too and it’s much easier around muggle london near Grimmauld.

“Fair enough.” Fred said, withdrawing his hand. “You sober enough to work out and use the floo now?” Fred asked half-seriously.

“Yeah it’s fine, I didn’t have that much and it was hours ago now. I’m all good I swear.” Harry said honestly.

“Ok then, see you in a bit.” Fred said, already walking towards the door of the flat.

“Fred...” Harry called out as the other man turned back round. “Thanks for today, you’re the best.”

“I know!” Fred gave him a smile and a wink and then he was gone. 

*~*

Just over an hour later Harry was walking into the familiar kitchen of the Burrow. He had apparated and walked over the field as he sometimes did just to clear his head even though his run had definitely helped with that. He’d deliberately gotten there a bit earlier as he knew he owed Ron a bit of an explanation for walking out earlier. 

“Harry, dear, lovely to see you again.” Molly said, rushing over from the stove to give him a hug.

“Hi Molly,” Harry said, returning the hug. “Sorry, I’m early but I wanted to catch Ron before everyone else arrived.”

“Of course, Harry, I know he wants to see you. I’m not quite sure what’s going on, he seemed concerned about you but excited about something else. He said he had news, well anyway I’m sure we’ll all find out soon enough, as long as you’re ok Harry.” Molly said in a bit of a rush fussing over his hair and the collar of his casual grey shirt as she often did.

“Yeh I’m fine honestly, and I know Ron’s news it’s good.” Harry said with the best smile he could muster. “I bought this to celebrate, here” Harry said, passing her the bottle.

“Oh thank you, I’ll go put it on the table, oh how exciting, I wonder…” She went off muttering to herself as Harry made his way through to the sitting room where he could hear a familiar laugh.

Upon opening the sitting room door he couldn’t help but smile at the sight of his best friend holding his baby daughter up in the air and making her fly around the room. She was squealing and giggling and he just looked so carefree and happy. He saw Harry come into the room and smiled at him holding Rose out for him to take. Harry happily held his arms out to accept her.

“Hi gorgeous” He said, taking her and pulling her close to his chest for a snuggle.

“No need to call me gorgeous mate.” Ron said chuckling.

“Definitely wasn’t talking to you, don't worry.” Harry said sitting down on the sofa and putting Rose on his lap. He did love his precious time with her and knew when everyone else arrived they’d all want their time with the youngest member of the Weasley family.

Ron sat down in the armchair opposite and smiled at his daughter. It always warned Harry’s heart to see how much he loved her.

“Hermione not here yet?” Harry asked.

Ron laughed. “Nope! First day back and she’s already doing overtime! I stopped by her office and had a quick chat with her though before I clocked off a bit early. She’s missed Rose today of course but I can tell she loves being back, you know how she is.”

“Yeh I bet.” Harry said with a smile. Ron’s face turned a bit more serious. 

“So, erm, you alright mate? You kinda disappeared on me today.” He said looking a bit awkwardly at Harry.

Harry sighed. “Yeh, I know, I’m sorry, I- er, I should have spoken to you first. My chat with the bosses was just a bit intense you know and I, erm, just needed to clear my head for a bit.”

“Yeah… ok.” Ron said slowly. They always had a laugh together but they weren’t really much good at talking about stuff. “So what happened? Kingsley said you’re not coming back… they didn’t make you leave did they? Cos you know everyone understood about, you know, the thing the other week, it was an easy mistake to make mate, I didn’t think they’d make you leave because of it!”

“No they didn’t make me leave, it’s not like that.” Harry said quickly. “I’ve been thinking about leaving for ages really... I’m sorry I didn’t talk to you about it but I knew you’d always convince me to stay and to be honest I felt bad about leaving you, we’re partners you know… but, erm, well they told me that they were going to offer you the job, -congratulations by the way-” Harry said with a genuine smile and Ron gave him a little half smile back. “I knew you wouldn’t need a partner anymore so it just felt like the right time for me... Truth be told, my heart’s not been in it for ages.”

“I was a bit worried that maybe you were annoyed that they’d offered it to me and not to you… we all thought it would be you-” Ron said a bit awkwardly.

“No Ron!” Harry cut him off quickly. “I swear it’s not like that at all, it should be you. You’re good at the job, you’re much better than me and I honestly wouldn’t want it even if they offered it to me.” He said truthfully even if it wasn’t the whole truth. He felt a bit bad about lying to Ron but he knew this was the best way.

“You- you sure?” Ron said quietly looking up at Harry as Rose was gripping onto Harry’s finger and gurgling.  
“Yes, I’m sure. I honestly think you’re the best man for the job.” Harry said looking at his friend in a determined way. “I’ll miss not working with you, but it’s just not for me anymore. I’m more of a liability and I don’t enjoy it like you do. I did my bit after the war, helped get the department to the way it is today but so did you and now you can lead it.”

“Ok, well, er thanks.” Ron said smiling.

“I take it you accepted the job then?” Harry said smiling and the slight tension that was between them lifted.

“Of course I did! Blimey I’d be mad to say no! The salary is good you know, and I get my own office, it’s huge! It’s got it’s own little kitchen, well you’ve seen it, and I get a secretary, that’s going to be great for the paperwork! Plus an extra week of holiday, that will come in handy with Rose you know. Blimey Harry, me, Head Auror at 25! Can you believe it?!” He rushed out with a massive grin obviously feeling that now he knew Harry was ok with it he could be completely happy about it.

“I’m really pleased for you man, you deserve it.” Harry said bouncing Rose up and down on his knee and making her giggle.

“Thanks. I’ll erm, I will miss you though. I mean if you’re sure this is what you want then I guess that’s good for you, but, erm, well it will be weird you know, not seeing you every day…” Ron said quietly.

“Yeah…” Harry said slowly. “I’ll miss you too, I will, but it’s not like I won’t still see you all the time. Who knows, I might even have more time now to spend with my adorable Goddaughter here, and Teddy.” Harry said smiling as he realised it was true. 

Even though he had no idea what he was going to do now, for the first time in his life he felt like he could do anything he wanted. Ron was quiet for a minute before he mumbled something looking at his feet.

“What? I didn’t catch that.” Harry said.

Ron cleared his throat a bit and repeated himself. “What if I’m rubbish at it?”

“You won’t be Ron.” Harry said gently. “Seriously, you know how much Kingsely and Robards care about the aurors, you really think they would offer you the job if they didn’t think you could do it? You’ve got good instincts, trust them, and you’re fair, most of the time, just remember to keep a cool head. You can always still vent to me if you need. The others respect you, they’ll listen and they’ll support you. Plus Robards will still be your boss and you’ve always gotten on well with him. He’ll help you if you need it, he’s been where you are.”

“Yeah” Ron said slowly and nodded, letting Harry’s words sink in and willing himself to believe them.

“So you told Hermione?” Harry asked turning Rose around so she could snuggle into his neck.

“Yeah, she was really happy actually and I think she’s proud of me.” Ron said with a proud look. It was obviously how much he cared for his wife and how much he wanted to make her happy and make her proud of him. “I told mum I had some good news to celebrate and she insisted on getting everyone round. Think I can hear some others now actually.” He said looking at the door. 

Soon enough the Burrow was the hub of activity once more as it so often was. Hermione rushed through the door and immediately took Rose from Harry giving her a massive cuddle and saying how much she had missed her today. She gave Harry a quick hug too and asked if he was ok but he didn’t even have time to reply before Fred and George came bustling in shortly followed by Arthur and Charlie. 

Finally Bill arrived and gave his apologies on Fleur’s behalf. Victoire had just had her first day at primary school so she was exhausted and Dominique had a bit of a fever so they were all staying home. On top of that Fleur’s third pregnancy was making her quite tired in the evening. Ginny was in Ireland with her quidditch team preparing for their upcoming match against the Ballycastle bats. She came back when she could but her life was so full of adventure with quidditch, travelling and dating now that she wasn’t often home. 

Once they were all gathered round the table, Harry waved his wand and sent everyone a small glass of the expensive champagne he’d bought and Ron stood up to share his news. True to their word the twins acted surprised like they were hearing it for the first time even though they did say a few jokes at Ron’s expense they were obviously still pleased for him. Molly was crying and hugging Ron like crazy saying how proud she was with him and kept going on about having a Head Auror in the family “and so young too”. Arthur, Bill and Charlie were clapping Ron on the back and saying that he deserved it even if they did seem slightly surprised.

Molly started serving dinner and everyone was tucking in when Charlie addressed Harry from across the table.

“Does this mean that Ron is your boss now Harry?!” He said with an amused smile.

Ron and Hermione gave Harry a bit of a nervous look, Ron had obviously told Hermione. Harry took a deep breath and Fred subtly squeezed his leg in encouragement under the table from his place next to him. 

“Erm, well, look I definitely don’t want to overshadow Ron, this is his night for news, but I guess you’ll all find out soon enough anyway that I, er, actually quit today.” Arthur, Molly, Bill and Charlie all looked at Harry in surprise. “And before you make a joke-” Harry gave Fred and George a bit of a cheeky look next to him in order to hopefully break some of the tension at his news. “-I didn’t quit because of Ron being my boss!” 

A few people laughed before Harry carried on. “I actually haven’t been happy there for a while, I just feel like I’ve done my bit for the Ministry, hell I’ve done my bit for the world! And it’s just not what I want anymore. I didn’t want to leave Ron without a partner but he won’t need one now so it seemed the right time. I’m not needed there anymore.”

Again, it was the truth, it just wasn’t the whole truth but Harry was used to telling half truths now. It was only Fred who truly knew everything about him nowadays, even though George knew most of it. 

“Well, it is true that you’ve done your part Harry, maybe you do need to take a bit of a break, it could be good for you.” Hermione said gently, giving him a kind smile.

The others all muttered in agreement and thankfully didn’t press Harry for details or ask too many questions. Hermione was always there for him and he did like talking to her, most of the time, but she always seemed to worry about Harry and sometimes treated him like he was a bit fragile and he hated that. She seemed to know things about him that he didn’t know himself which made him feel uncomfortable as she would never tell him. She would drop hints like she expected him to worry things out on his own but he’d never been much good at that. Truthfully they hadn’t spent an awful lot of time together in the last year really and Harry did miss her. Maybe he was being a bit harsh on her, maybe he should spend more time with her and try to listen more.

Soon conversation turned to Hermione’s first day back at work and Molly wanting to hear all about her eldest Grandchild’s first day at school from Bill. Ron was telling anyone who would listen about how big his new office would be. No one was bothering Harry or asking him questions about why he quit, which was good. He often enjoyed just sitting back at the Burrow and watching his favorite family interact as they had always done. It was nice, Harry thought. 

Sometimes he still felt slightly out of place at Weasley family dinners as he wasn’t technically family, despite how many times he’d sat round this very table now. He was the only one who wasn’t a Weasley since Hermione had married into the family. Sometimes he wished that he could marry Fred and then it would be officially his family too but he knew that wasn’t what either of them really wanted. Other times though like tonight he felt stupid for doubting it as this was the family he’d chosen. He loved every single one of them and he knew they loved him unconditionally too. 

As he tucked into his dinner and listened to the conversation around him he felt strangely satisfied. Now that his earlier anger and frustration with the Ministry had gone and he’d seen how happy Ron and his family were he felt like a massive weight had been lifted from his shoulders. He wouldn’t have to spend another day in a job he hated, he had family and he was lucky enough to have money that he didn’t have to worry about finding another job, life could be a lot worse. 

The only slight pang of sadness he felt that evening was watching Ron and Hermione say goodnight to their baby girl as Molly went to put her to bed. Fred did a good job of making Harry happy most of the time but he still felt like there was a hole in his heart. They loved each other in a way but they weren’t in love and they never would be. They were just comforting each other until they could find what they really wanted, someone who could truly give them both what they needed. Did such a man even exist for Harry? He used to think so but not he wasn’t so sure. Not that he was even looking though. How could he find him if he wasn’t looking? But then where would he even look?

*~*

Harry had made up his mind to enjoy the rest of the week as much as he could. He hadn’t had a proper week off in ages. During his week of forced leave he’d been moody and embarrassed only seeing Fred and George, spending the rest of his time at Grimmauld drowning his sorrows. This week he was treating it like a proper holiday. He was determined to use the time to see his godchildren so he spent Tuesday morning with Rose at the Burrow giving Molly a bit of a break. He even picked Teddy up from school for the next three days which the seven year old was delighted about. Tuesday they went to the park for a bit and Wednesday Harry even helped Teddy with his homework before staying for dinner. Dromeda enjoyed Harry’s company too and it was a bit of a break for her. As much as she loved raising her grandson he was growing up to be a bit of a handful.

Teddy was getting to that age where he could understand things a bit more and had lots of questions. Dromeda and Harry had already had a long chat with him the year before about his parents and the war and his Grandmother loved telling Teddy stories of when his mother was little. Thursday Teddy was asking Harry lots of questions about his dad so Harry told him the story of the Marauders all turning into animals again. Then Teddy demanded to hear the one where they made a magical map before bed and Teddy snuggled up with his little wolf cuddly as he fell asleep. 

Wednesday he’d even met Dean and Seamus at the Leaky Cauldron during their lunch break, apparently they were working on a new shop nearby. Tom at the Leaky was always good to Harry and gave him a private table at the back whenever he came in so one now bothered them. It was nice to see his old school friends again. They both worked for a magical construction company, building houses, redecorating and making furniture. They helped Harry a lot redoing Grimmauld Place after the war and they used to see a lot of each other but Harry hadn’t made time for them in absolutely ages which he felt a bit guilty about. 

Thursday during the day he’d helped George out in the shop as Fred was covering for Lee at their Hogsmeade branch and Verity had called in sick. It was unusual to spend proper time together with George without Fred but it was nice. Hermione had actually only gone back to work four days to start with and she said she would go full time after Rose’s first birthday so Harry spent a rare full day with her on Friday. He was still there when Ron got back home and ended up staying for dinner as he hadn’t seen Ron since Monday evening and his best friend had lots of stories to share about how he was transitioning into his new role. 

It was 9 o’clock in the evening by the time Harry flooed from Ron’s to the twins flat. He’d spent every night this week there as he was just feeling sociable at the moment and didn't want to spend time in his miserable house alone. The only time he’d gone back home was to go for a run which he had done every day but always at a different time. It was a bit odd not having a routine but it was liberating to just do whatever he wanted when he wanted. 

Hermione, as usual, had made far too much food so Harry had bought the twins some leftovers which he knew they’d appreciate. The two of them ate so much food but they still never put any weight on. Harry had definitely bulked out a bit during his time as an auror and was no longer the scrawny boy he’d once been but he was still trim. He actually found physical activity really helped relax him and keep his mind off things so he was pretty fit now but he’d still never developed a big appetite after adapting to not eating much during his childhood and his time on the run. Molly and Hermione were always telling him he didn’t eat enough but then he thought they were just comparing him to how much the Weasley men seemed to eat. 

Fred and George seemed to be challenging each other to a game of exploding snap in the lounge with a bottle of firewhiskey between them. Harry smiled. Some things never change!

“Oh Harry excellent!” Fred said happily as Harry stepped through the fireplace.

Fred and George were always so relaxed and never cared about Harry coming and going from their flat whenever he fancied it. They also never worried about him or nagged if he was late or didn’t come at all.

“Oooh good you bought food! I’m starving!” George said standing and taking the tupperware boxes from Harry. 

“I made you dinner like an hour ago!” Fred said indignantly. 

“Firstly, it was two hours ago and secondly Hermione’s cooking is way better than yours!” George replied, summoning some plates and cutlery from the kitchen and casting a warming charm on the food. 

Fred shrugged. “Yeah, that’s fair!” he said as George was dishing up two portions. 

Fred turned to Harry who still hadn’t come to sit down and gestured to the space on the sofa beside him. “You coming over or what? I want a kiss!” 

Harry chuckled and came to sit down next to his lover giving him a quick kiss on the lips. 

“Oi, none of that thank you!” George said loudly, passing a plate of food to Fred.

“You’re just jealous!” Fred said, taking the plate.

“Hmm” George muttered as he tucked into his second dinner of the evening.

The twins did have a small table against their kitchen wall with three chairs where they usually eat dinner but sometimes they liked to cosy up and eat on the sofa too.

“Ignore him,” Fred said to Harry. “He’s just grumpy cos he couldn’t get a date for tonight.”

“Oh?” Harry said. “I thought you were going to ask that hot girl that’s started working at Flourish and Blotts?”

“She’s got a boyfriend apparently.” George said a bit bitterly with his mouth still half full. He finished his mouthful and sighed. “What’s the point in being a war hero if all the pretty witches are taken?! I didn’t even have time to tell her the story of how I tragically lost an ear protecting the great Harry Potter!”

Harry rolled his eyes. “George I think all the girls have heard that one now, might be time to find some new material!” 

Fred laughed and George pretended to sulk as he carried on eating. 

“So how was your day with Hermione?” Fred asked Harry.

“It was actually really good.” I haven’t had a day with just her in… well years to be honest.” Harry said relaxing back into the corner of the sofa. “I had lots of cuddles with Rose of course but she sleeps a lot more than I thought! But that gave us time to chat. Hermione of course wanted to know what I was going to do with my time now.” 

Harry paused while Fred and George scoffed. “Anyway, I was complaining about that latest article, you know the one with photos of me and Teddy in the park?”

“The one that said you single handedly defeated Voldy-”

“- with the world's first ever wandless killing curse?!” Fred and George said rolling their eyes.

“Yes, that one! I’m still just so sick of these stupid comments even seven years on, they still treat me like I just walked up to Voldemort and killed him effortlessly all by myself. I hate that, it’s just so far from the truth. Also, I got another letter from some random person wanting to do my official biography again this morning!” Harry said in an irritated fashion. 

Fred and George were still eating so Harry carried on. “Well, Hermione suggested that maybe I should, erm, use this time to, er, maybe write my own book…” Harry said awkwardly but when Fred and George looked at him encouraging he gained a bit more confidence. 

“Not an autobiography as such.” Harry continued. “There’s still a lot about my private life that I don’t want to include, but to finally tell the world the true story of who Tom Riddle was and how he was defeated, yes by me but also by so many others, even you guys!” He finished with a smile.

“Excellent!” George said, putting his now empty plate down. “If I’m in a book then I’ll definitely get a girlfriend!” 

Fred threw a cushion at his twin and Harry laughed. 

Fred then turned to Harry again. “Seriously though Harry, you should, and not just because it might help Georgie get laid!” George threw the cushion back and Fred caught it and put it on his lap laughing. 

Fred looked a bit more serious when he spoke again. “I understand why you value your privacy but you’re always going to be famous no matter what, maybe it’s time for you to share the story of how it really happened and then the papers will have to stop making stuff up.”

Harry was nodding. “Yeah, I can see that.” He hesitated slightly, still thinking through what Hermione had said. “Hermione also said she thought it might be good for me…” He said quietly.

Fred and George exchanged a slightly nervous glance, silently communicating with each other.  
Harry sighed. “You know I hate it when you guys do that, just say what you have to say.” He said impatiently.

“Well” George started. “Hermione might have a point-” 

“What George means,” Fred interrupted. “Is that it might help you too, to finally process everything you know?”

Harry looked down. He wasn’t annoyed, he valued honesty and he was starting to think they were all right. Hermione had given him a lot to think about today. It seemed like she’d been bottling up her thoughts for a while but he’d told her to just give it to him straight so she had.

“You, er, you guys think that I haven’t really processed it all?” He said quietly.

George held up the bottle of firewhiskey that had been abandoned by his side. “I think this is your way of processing mate.” 

Harry sighed again and held out his hand to wandlessly summon the bottle. He took a swig as Fred and George chuckled and then he said reluctantly. “Yes, you may have a point!”

Fred spoke up again. “Harry, you know we don’t ever judge you, you’ve been through a hell of a lot and if anyone deserves to drown their sorrows in whiskey it’s you…”

He took a bit of a breath and glanced at George who gave him a small encouraging nod. “...but… well, you were so young you know and then literally straight after the battle you went head first into the Ministry and you’ve been busy ever since. You work, you drink, you shag- not that I’m complaining about that last one!” he laughed and George rolled his eyes. 

Fred gave a little cough before continuing. “But it might not be the healthiest way of coping…” Fred trailed off.

George spoke quietly and seriously which was quite rare for him. “You, erm, you never talk about the war, ever… even we don’t know the full story of what happened while you guys were on the run. I know we’ve heard a lot from Ron but… then there’s what happened in the forest, no one really knows what happened there still… well, I think you’ve repressed a lot of it-”

“- and it’s clearly still affecting you, the incidents at the aurors, the paranoia, the reluctance to ever go out...” Fred said carefully, placing a hand on Harry’s knee. “And you still take dreamless sleep every night.”

Harry buried his head in his hands. He knew they were right but it was painful to hear, Hermione had said stuff like this over the years but he’d never heard it from the twins and the fact that they obviously thought so too made it all too real for him. Everyone around him seemed to be ok, they all moved on, all dealt with the past. Was he the only one still struggling with it?

Fred put his plate down on the coffee table and scooted over on the sofa towards Harry. He put his arm around him and pulled him close.  
“Harry,” He said lovingly. “You know we’ve never asked you anything, we don’t want to know for our benefit, we always thought that you would tell us stuff when you’re ready but…”

“...we’re not sure now whether you ever will.” George finished for him as Fred was running his hands through Harry’s hair, holding him close. “It seems like you’ve got stuck in a bit of a rut and maybe you need something like this to force you out of it and-”

“-then maybe you can finally allow yourself to be happy.” Fred finished softly kissing the top of Harry’s head.

Harry sat up at Fred’s words untangling himself from him and was blinking rapidly to stop the tears flowing. He was breathing rapidly, it was ragged and he was losing control of it. He could feel his chest tightening and suddenly he knew what was happening. This had happened before. Fred had seen it too and quick as a flash he was down on the floor on his knees in front of Harry. He held Harry’s hands in his and looked into Harry’s eyes talking to him in a calm steady voice.

“Harry, just breathe, remember? Breathe.... Look at me, focus on me, nothing else and just breathe… that’s it Harry, breathe… I’m here ok? You’re safe, breathe… in and out… that’s it Harry…”

After a while of just looking into Fred’s eyes and focusing on his face, the features that he knew so well, he could feel himself relax and his breathing get back to normal. Then George was there too, passing him a glass of water which he happily accepted, drinking it slowly whilst still holding one of Fred’s hands. A few more minutes later Fred was getting up to sit next to him on the sofa again looking a bit worried.

“You ok Harry.” He said barely louder than a whisper.

“Yeah… yeah I’m ok.” Harry said slowly, still breathing in and out but calmly now. “Sorry.” He mumbled.

“You never had to apologise, it’s ok.” Fred said, giving Harry’s hand that he was still holding a little squeeze. 

“You ok though mate?” George said, still standing next to Harry and clapping his hand gently on Harry’s shoulder. “It’s been quite a while since the last one, I thought you’d stopped having panic attacks?” He asked tentatively. 

“I did too.” Harry said, sighing. “I haven’t had one in about two years.”

“We’re sorry-”

“-if we said too much.”

“It’s ok.” Harry said honestly. “Hermione has said the same but I kind of just pushed it down, but hearing you guys say it when you never bring stuff like that up made it a bit real I guess, to know that you agreed it means that’s it’s probably true and I can’t ignore it anymore…. I think the panic attack was because the war hasn’t come up in awhile… I could feel my chest tighten as soon as you mentioned the forest and…” Harry took another deep breath.

“Hey, it’s fine, I’m sorry I brought it up.” George said.

“We’re not asking you to tell us now Harry, maybe writing it all in the book would help you and then we can read it when you’re ready for us to.” Fred added.

Harry was nodding slowly as he was working it through in his head. Fred and George deserved to know, they've done so much for Harry. They’d never once pushed him for anything and he could tell they wanted to know not for their own curiosity but just because they wanted Harry to share, to talk about it for his own benefit. How did the rest of the wizarding world feel too, the war had touched everyone not just him yet most of them didn’t really even know the truth of what had happened. 

One of the reasons why he’d been reluctant to release a book was because he didn’t want more publicity but then he was getting it anyway so maybe it would be better to take matters into his own hands a bit and direct the narrative. When it first came out there would be a big peak in fame he knew that but it would have to be better than four years ago when his unauthorised biography had been released and was full of lies. That had been some of the worst few months of Harry’s life and that was saying something. 

At least this time when everyone was talking about it it would be with the truth. Then maybe, once the hyped had died down and the truth was out there he’d feel better about going out and living his life a bit more. Maybe he could even find someone that he could actually be with properly and be happy. Was that too much to hope for?

“Yeah…” Harry started with a bit more determination. “I’m going to do it, I’m going to write the book.”

“That’s great Harry.” Fred said with a smile.

“Yeah and if you need any help with it then we’re here!” George added.

“Thanks guys, you really are the best.” Harry said feeling happier and more settled than he’d felt in a while.

“Of course we are!” They said together.

Fred was waving his wand and soon each one of them had a shot of firewhiskey in their hands.

“Cheers to Harry’s book!” he said and they all raised their glasses and took the shot.


	4. Draco: Monday 5th September (afternoon and evening) to Sunday 11th September

Blaise took Draco to a bit of exclusive Italian restaurant for lunch part-owned by a wealthy client of his. He paid them well to give them a private table at the back where no one would bother them as he knew how Draco felt about being in the public eye. Blaise had actually recommended the investment to him as he knew the other owner was struggling with finances but was an excellent magical chef. Draco’s friend always knew the best places to go and he had so many connections. 

Blaise’s mother was pretty wealthy but unlike Draco’s parents she didn’t control Blaise in any way and allowed him to do what he liked with as much access to her vaults that he needed. He didn’t take advantage of it though. He was actually really good with money, he had a sensible head on his shoulders and was a lot less snobby than people thought. Blaise was also driven and shared Draco’s desire to prove himself and earn his own money rather than just rely on his family wealth. 

It was for this reason that Blaise had started his own financial advice company where he had a number of wealthy clients that needed expertise in managing their vaults. People who needed investments would also come to Blaise and he would partner them up with someone who wanted to make an investment. He also made a number of investments himself and was adding to his family vaults more than he was withdrawing from them now. True to his Slytherin nature he was clever and cunning with his money, and he knew how to turn on the charm to make good relationships with the people who counted. However, as much as he liked to deny it, Blaise was quite generous and benevolent. He cared about people and about the world around him more than he let on so had therefore helped lots of charities and organisations. Blaise was the perfect example of a good Slytherin. 

Lunch was lovely and Draco knew Blaise was doing it because he cared about Draco and wanted to treat him today but towards the end Draco was getting restless thinking of the difficult task he had ahead of him. How would his father react when Draco told him he had his own plans and he wasn’t going to blindly follow the ‘Malfoy’ way anymore. He wasn’t scared of his father, the worst that would happen was that they would duel and Draco thought he could take the man, even if he was a bit out of practice. He knew that his father wouldn’t kill or seriously harm him as his only heir was too precious to him for that but he might try and keep him in the Manor by force somehow. 

Although, he had to admit that he was grateful to have Blaise come along as back up, it wasn’t what he had planned but he knew better than to argue with his stubborn friend. He knew his mother wouldn’t be happy but she would never raise a wand to him that much he was sure of. He expected to be disinherited but he had enough savings to get by as long as he was careful and hopefully his business income would grow even more now. Blaise had even offered to make an investment but so far Draco had refused. He really wanted to prove to himself he could do it and Blaise respected that. 

They apparated to the boundary of the Manor as it was the closest they could get. When Draco put his hand to the black iron front gates they melted away under his touch and allowed them both to enter only reforming once they had passed through. They entered the property as discreetly as they could and went straight up to Draco’s suite. Fortunately, so far the plan was going well, there was nothing in the rest of the house that Draco wanted and technically he didn’t own any of it. He’d already taken the business stock and equipment over to Diagon Alley when he left that morning including his qualifications and certificates. The most important was his book of recipes and formulas for all his products and his study journals from France but they were safely locked in a chest in his new potions lab. Most of the other things could be replaced if needed. He’d been packing a few bits all weekend so mostly it was a case of just shrinking boxes and placing them in the main trunks.

They’d almost finished packing up Draco’s room when his mother’s voice wandered in from his private sitting room. “Draco?”

Draco sighed, he thought she might come up, was it best to talk to her first before father or not? He wasn't sure but it didn’t look like he was left with much choice. He knew how much she was looking forward to the wedding and he did feel a bit bad about lying to her but he couldn’t trust her not to tell father before he was ready. He thought his mother loved him in her own way even though she never said as much but he resented her a bit for never sticking up for him in front of his father, she always ended up taking father’s side every time they fought. 

Blaise gave Draco an encouraging nod. “Go, it will be fine, I’ll finish up here and take the trunks.” He said quietly.

“Ok, thanks.” Draco replied before walking out of his sitting room to meet his mother.

“Draco, dear, there you are.” His mother said stiffly as he came through the door.

“Yes mother, I’m here, sorry were you looking for me?” He said feigning ignorance.

“Well your behaviour has been slightly unusual today Draco” Narcissa pointed out in her formal emotionless tone. “You didn’t come to breakfast this morning and then you left without telling us where you were going. Now you’re back but you came straight up here without greeting us.” 

“I wasn’t aware that I had to tell you where I was going all the time and inform you the moment I came back.” Draco said defensively. 

“It’s only polite dear you know that.” She pointed out.

Draco took a deep breath, it was now or never. He needed to just say it with his emotionless Malfoy mask on like he’d practised. 

“Mother, there is something you should know.” Draco was standing about a meter in front of her, his posture stiff and guarded, his face and voice flat as he slipped into his normal way of speaking to his parents.

She took a moment before replying but if she was surprised she didn’t show it.

“Shall we sit.” She gestured to the chairs in the sitting room. 

“No, I don’t think so, it won’t take long.” Draco said stiffly. 

His mother tensed ever so slightly and looked a little taken aback but Draco could only see it because he knew her so well. “Very well, say what you need to say.” She replied coldly.

“Firstly you should know that my engagement with Miss Greengrass is no longer. Also, I am moving out of the Manor today.” Draco said getting it all out the way in one go but only giving the exact information he needed to and no more.

This time his mother couldn’t help but look surprised, her mask slipping.

“Draco, what is the meaning of this? What happened with Miss Greengrass?” She said abruptly, seemingly ignoring his other piece of news he shared.

Draco deliberately softened his face ever so slightly, hoping she would see the truth of his words. “I am sorry about this mother, I know that you had started making plans and I don’t like that I inconvenienced you in this way, but I was never going through with the wedding. You can rest assured that Miss Greengrass had full knowledge of this from the beginning so she was not deceived in any way, I still have my honour.”

“I just- I, I don’t understand, it’s already been announced… a date has been set.” His mother stammered very uncharacteristically, her mask well and truly shattered now.

That was actually news to Draco, he’s told his mother he wasn’t interested in the plans and hadn’t realised they had progressed that far. He didn’t let it rattle him though.

“You and father said that if I hadn’t found a suitable match by my 25th birthday then I would have to commit to someone that you found for me and I couldn’t let that happen mother. I will not just sit back and let you and father make decisions for my future. I needed some more time to get my affairs in order to enable me to be financially stable and to secure somewhere to live. So Miss Greengrass very kindly allowed me to inform you that we were engaged for a short while in fact we weren’t.” Draco said in a calm and collected voice not too harsh but still keeping himself guarded. 

“But Draco, Miss Greengrass is one of the best matches you could hope for. I don’t understand why you’re reluctant to get married. We allowed you to choose your own match, that’s more than your father and I ever had.” Naricissa’s facial expression was still a bit shaken but her words were clear and concise as always. “We didn’t choose each other but we’ve had a good life, we had you.” 

Draco scoffed. “You call having a husband who gives our life over to a psychopath in servitude nearly getting us all killed a good life mother?!” 

She opened her mouth to reply but then closed it again and there was a flicker of pain behind her eyes. Draco could sense Blaise opening the bedroom door opening very quietly behind him and he already wanted to escape. 

“You don’t need to understand my decision, Mother, you just need to accept it. I have thought about this a lot and I’m not going to change my mind. I need to make my own decisions and form my own life away from here. I still think there is hope for us to have a relationship in the future Mother. I cannot risk Father knowing where I live but if you want to write to me then your owl will find me. She is clever, just be sure to tell her it’s for Draco. I will accept your letters and write back as long as you let me do this and don’t try to interfere in my life anymore. I cannot reconcile with father.” Draco should feel himself getting worked up and was willing his voice to stay calm as he continued.

“He is cruel and controlling. I shall never forgive him for what he’s done to this family, what is still trying to do for me. I truly wish that he sees the error of his ways and he is able to be a good husband to you but he never has been or ever will be a good father to me.” He took a deep breath before the final thing he had to say to his mother came out. “If you have any mother’s love for me then you will let me go... please.” He said quietly. 

His mother’s face was flicking through a number of different emotions and for the first time in his life Draco truly couldn’t read her. She didn’t seem to know what to say. Draco turned to nod at Blaise and then just walked ahead straight out of his suite. Blaise followed him levitating two large trunks in front of him. With any luck they wouldn’t even see his father on their way out and his mother could relay the news.

They were soon at the front door and Draco just just placed his hand on it when a cold shard voice echoed through the entrance hall.

“Going somewhere Draco?” 

Draco sighed and put his shields up and his mask on before he turned swiftly to look at his father determined to look strong.

His Father was scowling at him, hand one hand on his cane which he’d had remodelled since the war and concealed his new wand. Draco knew by his stance he was ready to use it if he needed to.

Draco’s own hand was now clutching his own wand inside the pocket of his robes. He usually kept it in the holster on his left arm and his father knew that so would expect him to reach for it but Draco wanted to have it in his hand already.

“Yes Father, as a matter of fact I am.” Draco said with more confidence than he felt.

“Where, pray might that be?” Lucius was giving dirty looks to Blaise and the trunks. 

Blaise was looking at Lucius too but with an unimpressed expression like he was just dirt on his shoe. It was a look that Blaise gave people a lot and most people thought he believed he was above others but Draco knew he didn’t really feel like that about most people. Lucius might be the exception though. Blaise was still using his wand to control the trunks but Draco knew he’d be ready to use it against the older man if he needed to. Hopefully it wouldn’t come to that.

“I’m leaving Father. I shall no longer be living here and I don’t expect we’ll see each other again.” Draco said coldly.

Lucius was looking pretty cross now. “What is the meaning of this? You can’t leave Draco, your home is here, where on earth would you go?”

Draco on the other hand kept his cool and was starting to enjoy this ever so slightly. “I have purchased my own home, that is all you need to know.”

“Nonsense, I would know about that.” His father said arrogantly.

“You know nothing Father and you can’t control everything.” Draco said harshly. “I have my own money now and I have been working towards this for a long time. It is my home, in my name, I didn’t use any of the money in the Malfoy family vaults so you have no claim over it.”

His father blinked a few times, thinking it over. “Your trust fund money I assume?” His father said, taking a deep breath to control his anger. “That might be your money Draco, maybe it was a mistake in allowing you access to it, however it still came from me, everything you have came from me and don’t you forget it. Rent this building out if you require a project but you can’t live there. Your place is here, you are the Malfoy heir. Besides your money couldn’t have stretched that far, this place can’t be suitable for you.”

His mother had been cautiously walking down the stairs to witness the scene and was glancing nervously from her son to her husband. Draco didn’t pay her any attention as he continued to talk to his father.

“To be frank I don’t care as long as it’s away from here. This hasn’t been my home since you invited a Dark Lord to murder and torture people within these walls.” Draco said, his loud getting louder and angrier. “Why did you think I left in the first place? I only came back because I had no choice but I’ve been working hard and saving my money and now I can afford to strike out on my own.” 

“And what of your arrangement with Miss Greengrass? You need to be here to continue the wedding planning and she will be moving in here when you are wed.” His father stated in a matter of fact way.

Draco had expected that to be honest. He knew that his parents had always lived at the Manor since their wedding even when his Grandfather was running the estate but again it wasn’t one of those things that they had actually discussed and agreed on, it was just expected. 

Draco took a deep breath. “My arrangement with Miss Greengrass is over and that is all you need to know Lucius. There will be no wedding to any witch, pure-blood or otherwise. Not now, not ever.” He said with a twisted smile, this was every bit as satisfying as he had hoped.

“You will marry her Draco and you will address me appropriately.” His Father demanded.

“I will do no such thing.” Draco said adamantly.

His father did not look pleased and was thinking through his next move. Draco wanted to leave now but he could tell he’d pissed his father off and he knew it wouldn’t be wise to turn his back on him. He non-verbally opened the door behind him with his right hand on his wand and gave Blaise a knowing look. Blaise walked through the open door first with the trunks and Draco was slowly backing out behind him.

“Draco Lucius Malfoy if you walk out that door right now you can consider yourself disinherited. You will get nothing more from us and you will not be fit to carry the Malfoy name.” His father said, taking a threatening step closer to his son.

His mother had come to the foot of the stairs completely now and was giving Draco a pleading look that was quite unlike her. Draco couldn’t look at his mother, he couldn’t break now he had to be strong. He'd known this was coming and he’s saved this trump card until last. 

“Didn’t you listen?! You can’t control me anymore, that’s just an empty threat. You actually can’t disinherit me as I’ve already done that myself.” He laughed at the look on his father’s face. 

“I legally changed my name months ago and opened my own vault in my new name, my house and my business are in different names too. I have planned this all carefully and there is nothing you can do about it. I don’t want to be a Malfoy anymore, the name is an embarrassment. I have no opportunities with that name, no respect, you ruined the name and it shall die with you. You have no heir Lucius.” Draco said slowly backing out of the front door and out onto the path in front of the house.

If he thought he’d seen his father angry before it was nothing compared to how he looked now. If he was honest with himself Draco was scared. He hated conflict now and avoided it if he could, he hadn’t had to fight since the war and he suddenly felt sick as his father drew his wand and walked out the front door towards him. It seemed like a duel on the front lawn was inevitable. He didn’t let his fear show though, he was strong, he could do this. 

“I will not let you do this Draco, you are my heir and you will obey me even if I have to force you to, everything you’ve done can still be undone.” Lucius looked menacing, he had a battle stance and his wand was pointed at Draco’s chest. 

Draco automatically drew his own wand and took a defensive stance willing himself to look braver than he felt. His mother was looking terrified as he now hovered in the front doorway and he felt Blaise stiffen up behind him. Draco didn’t say anything, he didn’t move, he was just waiting for his father to make his move. He was only going to be defensive here if he had to. 

Defensive magic wasn’t his best but he hated the idea of using offensive magic now. It reminded him of what he’d had to do during the war and the person that he’d been before. He wasn’t that person now. He promised himself he would never attack anyone ever again verbally or otherwise but he would still defend himself and others if he was forced to. Hopefully they could still leave with the trunks without having to cast a spell but that was looking unlikely now. 

“Once last chance to change your mind and come back inside Draco.” His father snarled.

Draco kept eye contact with his father. “I am never setting foot in that house again.”

For a few moments everything was still, Draco wasn’t even sure if anyone was breathing. Then suddenly everything happened at once.  
His father stepped forward into action. Draco saw a jet of flames shoot from his wand and he knew what was happening to the trunks behind him even though he didn’t dare turn to look. He could sense Blaise moving behind him too but his eye was still on his father as the older man had now turned his wand on his son. 

“Impe-”

Draco moved as soon as he heard the start of the unforgivable to disarm his father but surprisingly his mother got there first. She had the advantage over Lucius as his eyes were fixed on Draco and had his back to her. He would never have expected her to intervene.

Narcissa’s face was determined even though her eyes were still showing an element of fear as she non-verbally disarmed him and grabbed Lucius wand from midair as it came flying towards her.

Lucius turned quickly to face her but Draco shot a stunner at his back before he could even think about it. His mother shot him a quick look of gratitude and relief.

Draco turned to look behind him feeling sick. Blaise was still trying to put out the fire with water shooting from his wand but it was no good, the fire was too big. Draco couldn’t even act, he was too stunned. Blaise tried a freezing charm next but it was too late for that. The fire burnt out quickly, a cloud of ash erupted and rained down onto the normally immaculate front lawn showing all that was left of Draco’s possessions. A normally cool, calm and collected looking Blaise was standing there defeated and apologetic. 

“Draco, I- I’m sorry...I-” Blaise stuttered very uncharacteristically. 

Draco held his hand up to stop him. He wasn’t angry with him, how could he be, but he just couldn’t face it right now. Blaise fell silent and Draco turned his attention back to his mother who hadn’t moved and was looking fearful and sad. A look Draco had only seen on her during her worst times in the war and something he hoped he’d never see again. It pained him that he was the cause of this but she had sat back and let his father control him for years and he had to fight for himself now, fight for his freedom.

His mother took a deep breath and collected herself like the strong woman he knew she was.

“Go Draco. You should go. He will never forgive you for this, you need to leave.” She said calmly. 

Draco wasn’t quite sure how to act. He had thought through this day so many times and in his mind he had prepared for every eventuality but he hadn't prepared for this. Was he supposed to now be grateful to his mother? Was he supposed to worry about her? He could leave now, there was nothing stopping him… was there?

“Mother… I-” Draco started and then stopped himself. “Will… will you be OK?” 

He’d never known his father to physically hurt his mother but he knew how furious he would be when he came round and he wouldn’t put it past him. His mother though seemed more confident than him.

“Yes, I will be fine. I have no doubt he will be cross but he would never physically harm me Draco, besides, I can handle myself.” She said with her emotionless mask now back in place and standing up tall.

“I- If… if you’re sure Mother.” Draco said still with a touch of uncertainty.

“I am.” She said simply and then she paused for a moment before adding something else. “I- I am sorry Draco. I thought that you had chosen Miss Greengrass… I- I did not realise how unhappy you were. I just want you to be happy… you are still my son, you will always be my son.”

She spoke stiffly with her mask on but it was cracking. There was something behind her eyes and a bit of a lump in her throat. 

“Thank you Mother.” Draco said quietly. “Write to me if you can, it would be good to hear from you.” 

He held her gaze for a moment, should they hug? No, they’ve never hugged before that wouldn’t be right. Before he could over think his decision he turned swiftly and walked down the path towards the boundary where he could apparate away. Blaise silently followed him.

*~*

Blaise and Draco apparated straight to the back of the shop and walked in through the back rooms into the larger one at the front. Draco immediately started pacing around the floor of the main shop processing what had just happened. He’d done it in a way, he was free. His father had no way of knowing where he lived now he made sure of that. He’d been careful with the business and the building, using a different name. It wasn’t even the same name that he’d legally changed to as the Ministry would have a record of that; Blaise had helped him set it all up. He’d finally escaped his father. So why didn’t he feel relieved? 

He did deep down he supposed, or maybe he would tomorrow. At the moment he felt completely full of conflicting emotions and empty all at the same time. He was more furious with his father than he had ever been in his life. Of course he had always been controlling and manipulative but to actually try to place the imperius curse on his own son, that was a new low. Draco could feel his anger rising again as he thought of that. There were other feelings though of loss and sadness. He knew it wouldn’t go down well, of course he did. He knew he would be disinherited, he’d taken measures against that, but there had maybe been a tiny tiny part of them that had possibly hoped it couldn’t be quite as bad as he feared. It was stupid to think that, he was a fool. 

For years he had longed to get away from his parents but now that he had he felt their loss. He no longer had a father in his mind and that was fine by him, he never wanted to see the man again. Part of him knew that he still had a trace of the mother’s love he had always longed for and she had shown that today. She had let him go when he asked her, she’d been on his side when it mattered the most, but what would happen now? Would he ever see her again? Would she be able to have a small part in his life or was he effectively an orphan now? He also felt guilty that he had left her. She didn’t have any family left and she lost contact with all her friends after the war. She was alone in that big house with him. He knew rationally that he couldn’t do anything about that, she had married him and she had failed to protect her son from him, Draco couldn’t feel guilty for rescuing himself from that situation. 

Blaise had let Draco be alone with his thoughts for a little while now and to be honest Draco had forgotten he was there so he looked up in surprise for a second when Blaise’s footsteps echoed across the empty shop floor.

“Draco,” his friend said quietly as he slowly walked towards him. “I’m sorry…”

Draco shook off his expression and let his face fall soft to hopefully express his gratitude to his best friend.

“Blaise, it’s not your fault, please know I don’t blame you. You couldn’t have prevented the spell, we didn’t see it coming and the fire was too powerful for Aguamenti.” Draco said sincerely.

“I know” Blaise sighed, “I’m still sorry though.” He said looking out of the dirty shop front window. “I’ll buy you a whole new wardrobe, I’ll replace it all. What else? Your broom, your books…” He trailed off uncertain.

Draco was already shaking his head. “No you won’t.” He said stubbornly. “We’ve talked about this, you know how I feel. I’m not a charity case. I accept your friendship and your support in that way. That’s been hard enough for me, you know that, to allow anyone in... to help me…” 

His voice that started strong faded at the end. He took another breath and found the strength in his voice again. 

“It’s just stuff Blaise, that’s all. It’s not important.” Draco continued trying to convince himself as well as Blaise. “I have basic furniture, it’s habitable and we can spruce up what’s already here. I have the books, the equipment and the ingredients I need for the business that’s the most important. I can remake my own products, I- I never fly anymore and the other books were just sentimental really… from school. I don’t need them. I have enough money set aside to furnish the shop, get the shelves, the counter, make it look good you know.” 

He sighed inwardly thinking of the plans he had to make his sitting room more homely. They would have to wait. 

“I know how you feel about it, Draco, and I respect you for it. I would be the same if it was the other way round. I don’t want money to come between us but you must understand that it’s frustrating for me to have the means to help but be forced to watch you struggle…” He sighed, the air was slightly awkward between the two of them.

Draco was fidgeting very uncharacteristically and rubbing the empty space on his finger where the Malfoy heir ring used to sit. It was a nervous habit he’d picked up since removing the ring this morning. He hadn’t worn it the whole time he was in France but he’d had it on the past two years to keep up appearances with his father and now being without it felt strange again. He’d left it on his bedside table purposefully. 

Blaise cleared this throat and stood up straighter looking at Draco. “I promise if you tell me now that you know that you have enough to get this place up and running as a business and that you can live comfortably here then I won’t bring up money again, but I mean comfortably not just getting by. This place needs to look good and you need to have a good quality of life. However, I also need you to promise that if you start struggling in any way, your life here, your health, your business, anything, then you will be sensible enough to come to me. If it helps you then think of it as a business arrangement, make an appointment with Harper, come to the office and we’ll do it all properly as an investment or a loan whichever you want and I’ll treat you like any other client.” 

Draco thought for a moment, he took promises very seriously and despite what others might think, he was a man of his word. He would never promise anything lightly, even though he was still a Slytherin and could always find loopholes if he needed to. It was the living here comfortably part that he wasn’t sure of. He doubted he would be comfortable here but it was a sacrifice he was willing to make. He’d been lucky to have a luxurious lifestyle so far but other people could cope with much less so he’d just have to get used to it.

He frowned and thought out loud. He could have done it in his head but he wanted to prove to Blaise that he had a well thought out budget and that he could do it. 

“I have a list of everything I need for the shop and I assure you it will look very good. The contractors are coming in tomorrow to transform the space based on the designs I drew and I know exactly how much it will cost, that’s fine I have the money set aside. I will be honest and say that I have a small amount in the budget to make my living space more homely, that money will now have to be used to buy clothes. I can get away with fewer items that I had before but I will need to look good to meet any customers. Appearance is everything when you are trying to secure people’s business, I don’t need to tell you that, but I’m not as vain as I used to be. I actually prefer to brew and create in comfortable clothing anyway so that won’t cost a lot. The furnishings for the flat I can live without.” 

Blaise raised an eyebrow but didn’t say anything.

Draco gave a half smile but carried on assuring himself as well. “Honestly, I can. You can’t go through a war without realising what’s important in life and it’s isn’t rugs and paintings. Once the business starts earning it will be nice to be able to reward myself with small purchases like that and gradually see my little flat becoming a home. I mean that.” 

Blaise changed his expression and actually gave Draco an approving smile. “I can understand that actually.” He said before turning to a slightly more serious expression again. “What about food? You don’t have a house elf anymore.”

Draco went to open his mouth but then closed it again. He suddenly felt a bit panicked and stupid. In all his years of preparation for striking out on his own he’d never once considered food. He’d never once had to think about where his next meal was coming from. He’d only ever been at school or at a Malfoy home, either the Manor or the Chateau. He’d never not had a house elf before. He knew he’d have to live without one of course and had been deliberately learning household charms but he foolishly hadn’t learnt how to cook. 

He then realised that he didn’t even know where to buy food from, it was the one thing he’d never thought about. What do wizarding families that don’t have house elves do? Do they buy food from muggle supermarkets? He really couldn’t see himself doing that even if he knew how to cook and what to buy. Did a wizarding food shop even exist? Did they accept owl orders? He doubted he could even afford the ingredients he was used to though. He thought he had everything under control. What if he couldn’t do this? What if he failed at life on his own?

He took a deep breath and allowed all the techniques he used from mediation and occulemany to calm himself down and not show his thoughts to Blaise. If he really needed to he would go to Blaise for help, he knew that. His business and this opportunity was much more important to him than his pride, but for now, he hadn’t failed, he could still do this.

“How about I allow you to take me out to dinner once a week so you can be assured I’m getting at least one luxury meal?! I’ll even insist on at least three courses, but it has to be somewhere out of the public eye.” He said to Blaise with a smile, pretending it was for his friend's benefit. 

Blaise smiled too clearly seeing through the offer but that didn’t matter, they both knew how Slytherin friendships worked. “Make it twice a week and you have a deal.” Draco frowned and went to interrupt him but Blaise carried on quickly. “Twice because then we can have a catch up just the two of us once and the other time Daphne can join us, it’s what I want.”

Draco knew what his friend was doing but had to admit it was a clever proposal. It allowed Blaise to help him but still get something out of himself so it didn’t really feel like charity, especially if he was paying for Daphne too. Draco also considered the fact that he likes spending time with his friends both separately and together. Given the fact that he would see Daphne at work everyday this would work well and he also very much likes routine and would probably look forward to being properly fed twice a week. He could survive on sustenance potions the rest of the week if he had to.

He rolled his eyes at Blaise dramatically as if he was being over the top but he stuck his hand out to him with a genuine smile nonetheless.

“I believe you have a deal Mr. Zabini… and I will come to your office if I really need to, I promise.” He added with a serious afterthought.

Blaise shook his hand with a smile and a nod. “Pleasure doing business with you Mr. Malfoy.” 

The words came out of his mouth automatically but he noticed Draco sharply withdrawing his hand and turning away from him. 

“Draco, I’m sorry! It’s just automatic, hard habit to break but I’ll try harder. I’m sorry.” He said quickly.

“It’s OK, I know.” Draco said quietly with his back to Blaise. 

The emotions of the day and all his conflicting thoughts were suddenly threatening to spill out over his shields. He knew he would have to release them tonight when he was alone but for now he fought back the tears successfully. 

Blaise sensed that Draco needed a distraction, that was one of the reasons why they were such good friends now. They always knew what the other one needed without words or being forced to admit uncomfortable emotions. 

“So we still have some hours left in the day, I’m needed at work tomorrow so make use of my amazing wand skills now while you have me!” He said brightly.

Draco smiled and turned back round making use of the innuendo opportunity that Blaise deliberately presented him with to ease the tension. “I do not need to hear about your wand skills Blaise!”

“Just because you don’t take advantage of my talents doesn’t mean other people don’t appreciate them!” Blaise said with a smirk.

“If we’re talking about your spellwork then I could actually use your help setting up the potions lab in the basement. I still have my regular owl orders to fulfil this week so that's the first priority. Come on.” 

Draco didn’t allow Blaise a chance to retort and walked off the back room where the door to the staircase was, he knew Blaise would follow.

Monday evening was spent setting up the whole of the laboratory and product making area in the cellar exactly according to Draco’s designs and standards. It was nice to focus on something practical to avoid confronting his feelings. Plus, he wasn’t lying about it being a priority to not only have the space to fulfil his mail orders but to also replenish all his own bathroom products that he’d lost. He was really pleased with the space. It was smaller than the potions lab in the cellar of the Manor of course but it was much more practical in a way. He’d really thought about all the areas he needed to best fulfil the whole of the creative process of his potions, perfumes and cosmetics from start to finish. 

The best thing about it was that it was his. The first time in his life that he bought a space, designed it exactly how he wanted and executed it with his money and his skills. It gave him so much hope for the shop and eventually his dreary sparse flat. He could see the potential there even if budget might mean it remained a depressing space for now. The business would work here, that he was sure of and it excited him like nothing else had in a long time. He was less excited about actually living here but he pushed that out of his mind. Draco was patient and always thought about the long game. 

Hopefully in time, the business would allow him enough income to buy somewhere more homely to live, somewhere away from Diagon Alley which, ironically enough, was the worst place to live for someone who wanted to be out of the wizarding public eye. Then he could rent out the flat above his shop as a private living space and get even more of an income. That was a long way off for now but he had to believe he could do it.

He was still having conflicting feelings of joy for outsmarting and escaping his father but guilt for leaving his mother with him. He had received a very short letter in her handwriting with her signature but that contained his father's words telling him to come home immediately. His mother was cleverer than his father with words though and he saw the subtle messages in there that she was fine and she could handle his father. Overall the note did make him feel better. It eased some of the guilt he felt towards his mother knowing that she was physically OK. 

Emotionally might be a different matter but he knew he couldn’t burden himself with that. It wasn’t his fault that she had married a controlling man and he still felt quite bitter about her parenting style too. He didn’t reply as he couldn’t risk his father knowing anything and to be honest he still wasn’t sure quite what to say to his mother but he gave the owl a single narcissus flower to return to let her know that he’d received the message and that he was thinking of her. 

Tuesday and Wednesday were both full on days. Draco had hired the best magical contractors to come and transform his shop space. They were pricey but he’d saved for this and would not settle for anything less than perfection. Blaise had obviously recommended the contractors as he knew everything and everyone. The director of the company assured him they would send the best people and Draco trusted Blaise’s recommendation but it was still hard for him to put the vision of his space into the hands of others. 

Draco had provided very detailed drawings of exactly what he wanted but he still knew he’d have to supervise the work which had added complications. He had a brief moment of panic when he recognised the two wizards that came to do the work, Gryffindors from his year at school. He was grateful for his business alter ego he’d spent so long on. He’d practised lengthening and darkening his hair by magic enough that he’d perfected it now and even got Blaise to get him some muggle lenses to change his eye colour. Thomas and Finnigan didn’t look twice at him when they introduced themselves and they immediately got to work. Draco had to admit he was quite impressed, he always thought of these two as clueless idiots but they knew what they were doing. He was once again forced to remember that school was a long time ago and it seemed everyone can grown up and changed. 

Tuesday evening was the night Blaise and Draco had agreed to have their regular dinner evening and Draco was very grateful for it as he hadn’t eaten all day. Blaise eyed him suspiciously as he watched Draco eagerly eat the delicious three course meal but he didn’t say anything. Conversation was easy between them and Draco told Blaise how the shop was coming along. He was pleased with the progress and his vision for the inside was nearly complete. Blaise admitted he knew which wizards would be attending and Draco scowled as he told him he would have appreciated the warning but Blaise just shrugged saying that they both knew Draco would insist on someone else and that would have been a mistake as these two really were the best. Draco reluctantly admitted he was right. Blaise distracted him by telling him what a good shag the Irish former classmate was which Draco did find amusing even if it did remind him how long it had been since he’d had a decent shag himself. 

By Wednesday evening the shop was finished and Draco was very pleased with it. Looking around the space after the contractors had left he was the happiest he’d felt in a long time. This was it, he’d done it. He’d escaped the clutches of his father and he finally had a space to call his own and he was proud of himself and the space he’d created. It looked even better than his drawings. Hopefully it will earn him a good income too. The outside looked perfect too but Draco wasn’t quite ready to show the whole yet so he’d kept the large white canvas that wrapped around the front of the property in place and shielded it from view for now. He managed to brew up a batch of sustenance potions in between supervising the work and so far was just drinking those as and when he needed to keep him going. He knew it wasn’t ideal but it would do for now. He would learn how to cook and where to get food from in time, he was just too busy this week. 

He still hadn’t had time to go shopping for clothes or other essentials. He’d so far made do with cleaning and freshening charms. He was good at them so it didn’t matter too much but it wasn’t quite the same and by Thursday he felt mildly disgusted with himself and knew he’d have to get clothes and bathroom essentials before he did anything else. Daphne ended up coming shopping with him as he hadn’t seen her all week and they needed to talk business anyway. He decided to go shopping as himself, even if it got back to his father that he’d been seen visiting wizarding shops in and around Diagon Alley it would hardly prove that he was actually living here. Besides, he had been out in public a few times with Daphne since their ‘engagement’ became public knowledge on his father’s insistence so it was hardly new. The Prophet had already run an article on their engagement and photos from their date nights. There had been a couple of smaller mentions of the ‘couple’ here and there since then but it wasn’t a particularly interesting story so no one particularly bothered them. 

This shopping trip however was a good opportunity to enact another stage of Draco’s plan. They bought everything they needed and then staged a rather public argument in the middle of the street. Draco deliberately made himself look like the bad guy, he didn’t care what the public thought of him and they all hated him anyway so what difference would it make? Also he didn’t want to damage Daphne’s reputation more than he already had. There were definitely a few camera flashes and Daphne made sure they got a good shot of her giving the engagement ring back to Draco before she apparated away. If Daphne was going to the public face of his shop he didn’t want her to have any public ties left to him. Hopefully it would look like she took the job to keep herself busy and earn some money for herself now that she was no longer destined to be Mrs. Malfoy and no one would think he was actually the real owner as why would he employ his ex-fiance? 

His mother could probably work it out if she heard about a new potions shop with a french influence opening up with Daphne running it. She knew the engagement was fake so she might assume they were actually friends. In some ways Draco was actually hoping she would work it out and then she would know where he was if she ever wanted to visit. His father wasn’t nearly as clever as he pretended to be and he had slightly less information to go on than his mother. He didn’t think she would betray him if she worked it out, it was risky but Draco thought they had said so much to each other in their encounter on Monday without the need for words. Finally she might put her son's needs and wishes before those of her husband.

Once they had separately met back up at the shop coming in through the back as normal. Draco looked at the purchases he made and started putting them all in place while Daphne sorted the few kitchen things he sorely needed and then they were finally able to make some tea. Draco, being worried about finances was just going to get some of the basic stuff even though he didn’t like it that much, it would do but Daphne had insisted that as she was going to spend so much time at the shop they needed to have the posh herbal infusions and the nicest supply of biscuits. Again, Draco knew she was doing this mostly for his benefit but he allowed the pretence that she was buying them for herself. He sipped the chamomile tea as he put his clothes away. 

He had bought a couple of more expensive outfits and even visited Madam Malkins to get one tailor made set of dress robes. He got them fairly plain thinking if he had one set he could change the colour of them and add basic embellishments himself if he needed to. He was so tempted to get more but he had to restrain himself and think of his budget. He still had some more potions ingredients to buy and he would only ever get the best quality. With the cheaper clothes he bought on top of the bathroom and basic kitchen equipment he needed he had spent more than he thought he would and realised by the end of the day that his vault was pretty much empty now. 

The thought scared him more than he dared to admit. He felt vulnerable without the comfort of money. Money was powerful, it could pretty much get you anything you needed as long as you knew where to go. This was a very different life than the one his father led, the one his father had groomed him for. That was a good thing though, Draco reminded himself. He would work hard, he would get the money back on his investment into the business. He would fill his own vault in time, in his way, an honourable hardworking way. 

Thursday afternoon Draco showed Daphne around the shop and his drawings for the space. He explained where everything would go and exactly how he wanted the shop to run and what he expected from her. She was eager to listen and was taking her role as shopkeeper very seriously. Draco could tell that she was actually really looking forward to it. Daphne then spent the rest of Thursday and most of Friday arranging the stock that Draco had been making on the shelves. He reminded himself what a good idea it had been to bring that stock over to the shop before he’d confronted his father. It had taken months to make all that and the ingredients had been expensive, it would have set him back enormously if he’d lost that. 

Draco spent that time getting this week’s owl orders from his regular customers finished and sent. It was a bit more of a process now as he no longer had the Malfoy owlery at his disposal but he took the parcels to the post office on Diagon Alley under his shopkeeper disguise. His own personal owl Aquila was left at the Manor. He so desperately wanted to keep her but she was very distinguishable as a fancy Malfoy eagle owl so he couldn’t risk it. He told her that she belonged to the Malfoy owlery now and that he wasn’t a Malfoy anymore. She seemed upset with him but he knew she’d understand. He doubted he would send any personal correspondence anyway and he could use Daphne’s or Blaise’s owls if he had to.

During the day Friday he visited Gringotts under his businessman disguise to withdraw money from the vault that was under his business name, the same name that the shop was registered in. He would need the money to give customers change after all. Friday evening was the night the three of them had decided on for their regular dinners but Draco didn’t really want to be seen in public again so soon with Daphne, it would rather defeat the point of their staged break up which had indeed been on the front cover of the Prophet that day. So they went back to Blaise’s posh penthouse flat in the heart of London’s financial district and ate the food he’d picked up from one of his favourite restaurants. 

It had been a while since they’d hung out there and it was a much needed relaxing evening after a busy week. Saturday Draco finally took some time for himself with a home workout and meditation followed by an afternoon of relaxing brewing making his own special blends of hair and shower products. Really his favourite form of exercise was swimming and he also loved baths but he didn’t have the luxury of a bathtub here let alone a swimming pool so he had to make do with some home exercises and a shower. 

He tried to relax Sunday but his nerves were getting the better of him. He knew everything was ready to open the shop for business Monday morning but it didn’t stop him spending the whole day checking everything and then double checking. He resisted the urge to floocall Daphne and go through everything with her again, she deserved a day off and Draco had to trust her that she had taken his instructions in and knew what she was doing. He meditated again before bed as he did every night but it still didn’t stop him lying awake most of the night thinking about how the next day would be his first official day of trading to the public. Would anyone actually come? What if this whole shop was a stupid idea and it failed completely? Only one way to find out he supposed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Where do wizards buy food/ingredients from?! The Weasleys for example... I've seen this discussed before and there are a lot of theories, not sure what my favourite one is though!  
> Also how do they wash their clothes?! Just with spells or...?!  
> So many questions that got me wondering with this chapter! How does the wizard economy even work?! If you can just spell your clothes clean or transfigure them into something else then you'd only need like one outfit...!   
> I know it's silly to think of these things and that's the problem with a soft magic system! The beauty of fan-fiction is that we can take the world J.K created and make it our own I guess! Just stuff to think about when I was writing Draco as 'poor'!   
> Surely wizards still need to buy things otherwise why would the Weasleys have a home like the Burrow and the Malfoys have a home like the Manor... They can't just conjure nice furniture or magically build their homes.  
> Hopefully I've done an OK job?!


	5. Harry: Monday 12th September

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Small edit made to this chapter as I realised I wrote that Harry flooed back home but then later it's a minor plot point that Harry's house isn't connected to the floo network for travel due to security. Not a big deal really but wanted to be consistent!

When Monday morning came Harry found himself waking early as he always did. He’d stayed over at Fred’s and found himself sitting on the edge of the bed looking out of the bedroom window once again at the shop opposite. For ages it had just been a dark shabby empty building but for the past week it had been encased in a white plastic canvas with a sign saying ‘Opening Monday 12th September’ which was today. Harry wondered what sort of shop it would be, not that he would be likely to go inside. He did all of his shopping either in the muggle world or via owl order as he was always done. He felt some movement behind him and then there was a hand snaking around his waist.

“Come back to bed.” Fred mumbled as he pulled Harry backwards. Fred was surprisingly strong and Harry allowed himself to fall back into bed.

“Sorry if I woke you.” He said as he lay on his side in bed and turned towards Fred who had laid back down on his side.

“It’s ok.” Fred said, yawning. “What were you looking at?”

“The shop opposite, it’s opening today.” Harry said casually. “I was wondering what it will be.” He thought out loud.

Fred was still half asleep but answered automatically. “It’s a potions shop.” He said closing his eyes again.

“Oh, you know that? You spoken to the owner?” Harry asked half surprised that Fred hadn’t mentioned it.

Fred opened his eyes quickly and looked a bit more awake now. “Erm yeah we have actually, it’s er- it’s Monsieur Defoi” Fred said slightly awkwardly.

“The french guy that makes all my potions? The one I recommended to you for your range of edible chocolates with potions in the middle?” Harry asked, not really understanding why Fred seemed awkward about it.

“Yes, we’ve been working with him quite a lot actually, he really is good at what he does. He’s helped us with our Comic Cordials too.” Fred said sitting up in bed now. “He mentioned that he’s been looking for a premise and we told him that the shop opposite had been empty for a while. So yeh…” He trailed off.

“That’s great. He does seem pretty talented. You know he does more than just potions? I get my after-shave from him now too.” Harry said casually.

“Hmm that’s why you smell so good now!” Fred said playfully quickly leaning over to Harry and dramatically smelling his neck.

Harry gave him a playful shove back over to his side of the bed. For some reason he suddenly wanted to know more about the man who had provided him with dreamless sleep every night for nearly two years, despite the fact he’d never really thought about it before. He’d given him enough money over this period that he undoubtedly helped to finance this new shop. 

“So what’s he like in real life?” He asked Fred.

“Who?” Fred seemed to be feigning ignorance and Harry didn’t understand why he seemed reluctant to talk about him.

“The man we were literally just talking about thirty seconds ago. Your memory isn’t that bad, why do I get the impression you don’t want to talk about him?” Harry frowned in confusion but then it hit him. “Oh right, you’re fucking him aren’t you?!” He asked with a cheeky smile.

They never really talked too much about the other people Fred saw. Harry knew that he had a standing arrangement with a kinky witch every Monday and then usually he would go out another evening in the week either hoping to pull at a club or he would meet up deliberately with a random old friend. Harry wasn’t jealous, truthfully it didn’t really bother him but he just didn’t need details. Weirdly, even though he had no problem doing it he was a bit of a prude when it came to talking about sex. 

Fred sat up abruptly. “No! I’m not, I’m really not!” He said quickly.

Harry was even more confused at Fred’s quick denial and the flush that appeared at the top of his pale ears in the same way that Ron got when he was uncomfortable about something.

Harry frowned again. “Erm, OK… a bit too defensive there Fred. You know it’s obviously fine if you are.” He pointed out casually.

“Erm, well yes, I know… but it’s just not like that. I er- I think I just reacted like that cos the idea of me and him is just absurd really. It’s honestly just a business arrangement and I’ve never met him without George being there too.” Fred explained calming down.

“Oh, fair enough.” Harry shrugged, still a little suspicious that there was something Fred wasn’t telling him about this man but he decided he’d let it go for now. He also decided that maybe he would go check out the shop later after all. 

It was still quite early but it was apparent now that neither man would be going back to sleep. Harry got up and slipped his checked flannel pajama bottoms on and wandered to the kitchen. He made a strong coffee for himself the muggle way with freshly ground beans as he usually did when he had the time, he was a bit of a coffee snob and this just tasted so much better. He’d bought a proper coffee machine for Fred and George’s like the one he had at Grimmauld Place but really it was mostly for himself. He brewed a tea for Fred the muggle way too and added milk to it the way he liked it and took the drinks back to bed. He doubted George would be up yet, that man slept through anything. 

Harry got back into the bedroom where Fred was still half sitting up but dozing lazily. He accepted the tea gratefully though and started to sip it as Harry climbed back into bed and drank his coffee alongside him. 

“So what you got planned for today?” Fred asked Harry.

“Well, I enjoyed my first week off relaxing for the first time in ages and spending time with everyone but I’ve definitely made up my mind about the book so thought I may as well get started on it.” Harry answered him, still taking little sips of his coffee.

Fred nodded approvingly whilst drinking his tea. “That’s great. You got a plan for how to get started yet?”

Harry gave a little laugh. “Not a bloody clue to be honest! How does anyone write a book?!”

Fred considered for a moment. Harry knew he was always more serious in the mornings. Neither of them were naturally morning people but Harry always felt good after taking dreamless sleep, without it he’d probably be a zombie in the mornings. Fred was a much lighter sleeper than his brother (another reason why Harry took the potion in the first place!) so although he wasn’t much of a morning person either, he always woke up when Harry did.

“Why don’t you just write a list of all the events you know you need or want to include and then put them in chronological order? Then at least you have a bit of a start and can maybe write a chapter per event?” Fred suggested.

Harry was thinking it over as he had been doing all weekend. “Yeh that sounds sensible. May as well do that and see where it leads I guess.” 

Then he sighed though as he knew it was more complicated than that. “I just don’t know how far back to go and how much to say. I want the wizarding world to know most of the real me... I think I’m ready for that, but there are still some things that I can’t say. Things I don’t want to get into about my childhood…”

Shaking off his trailing thoughts he carried on. “I definitely want to emphasise how many people helped me along the way and tell the stories of the other war heros too. That’s the main reason for doing this really, to hopefully stop this ridiculous idea that I just waltzed up to Voldemort during the battle and just killed him with a flick of my wand by myself… I’m just aware that it’s not only my story to tell, I guess I need to get permission or something from the people that I’m writing about… there might be some conversations that need to happen before the book comes out.”

Harry took another large sip of his coffee whilst Fred finished off his tea and set his mug on the bedside table thinking over Harry’s words.

Harry continued. “Also, I think the public should know about Tom Riddle and his history, his background you know? But he did something big that was truly evil, I mean obviously he did a lot of evil things but there’s something which only me, Ron and Hermione know and I don’t necessarily think how to do what he did should be made public knowledge, someone could abuse that... but to tell the story without that part is almost pointless…”

Fred looked at him for the first time in a while. “You mean the mission that Dumbledore gave you three? That’s the part that people don’t really know I guess. We knew what you were doing had something to do with killing Voldy and I think we all knew a while ago that it wasn’t going to be as easy and just shooting a killing curse at him as then anyone could have done it but I still don’t really get that part…”

He thought for a moment and then spoke again. “When we got the message and came to join you at Hogwarts you were going on in the room of requirement about finding something of Ravenclaws to destroy. We just shrugged and accepted it but we never really understood it. Is it something to do with that?”

Harry nodded slowly.

“Hmm yeah I did wonder about that for a while after I processed everything with Percy… but I hadn’t thought about it again in years.” Fred said considering everything.

“Yeah... I haven’t consciously thought about it for ages either but I think it’s like you guys said I’ve just been repressing everything… I’m sorry that you thought you couldn’t ask me anything but to be honest I’m not sure if I would have answered you, maybe reading the book will help you understand too and everyone else.” Harry said slowly, setting his empty cup on his bedside table too.

“I think it will, I want to read it when it’s done and I’m always here if you want to talk through anything but I understand why you couldn’t say things before.” Fred said putting his hand on Harry’s leg under the duvet in comfort.

“About some of the other things you said…” Fred continued. “Maybe make another list of all the people involved so you can approach them, ask them about the book and get their permission. You can tick them off one by one.” 

Harry was nodding. “That’s a good idea, I’ll definitely do that. I think I should ask Ron and Hermione about… about the thing too, maybe if they think it’s a good idea I’ll ask Kingsley about what I should and shouldn’t include.” 

“Well sounds like you’ve got somewhere to start.” Fred pointed out.

“I guess so.” Harry said brighter realising that it was true. “Thanks.” He added.

“Anytime.” Fred yawned, stretching out his arms.

Harry took the opportunity to lean over, pull back the duvet and attack Fred’s ribs tickling them all over. Fred grumbled at him and tried to push him off but Harry was stronger and they ended up having a bit of a wrestle on the bed for a few minutes. Until eventually Harry pulled back laughing. 

Fred was scowling but it was more of a pretend scowl, Harry knew he wasn’t seriously annoyed. “Well I’m well and truly awake now, I may as well get up!” 

“Is George still making you do all the owl orders by yourself today to make up for last Monday?” Harry asked with a cheeky smile.

“Well he says that but you know he’ll end up helping me, what else is he going to do?!” Fred said with a smile now back on his face too. “What about you? You starting your journey as an author here or you working back at yours?” He asked.

Harry considered this for a moment, he probably would work better at Grimmauld, he had an actual desk there after all but part of him still wanted an excuse to stick around and see the new shop open. He felt weirdly drawn to it and still mysteriously felt like he wanted to know more about the french potion genius for some reason. 

“I might stick around here if you’ll have me then I can wander down to the shops and get some more parchment and ink, plus Hermione’s birthday is coming up so I might see something for her.” He said casually.

Fred raised a suspicious eyebrow at him. “You never go to the shops.”

Harry shrugged. “Maybe I should start trying to lead more of a normal life now if I’m going to be embracing my publicity for this book.” He said. 

Secretly he wasn’t convinced by the idea himself he was just using it as an excuse really. Although now he thought about it there might actually be something suitable for Hermione in the new shop if this mystery Frenchman was now selling perfumes and other products as he seemed to be based on his latest order form.

It was odd lying to Fred, he never did it. If there was something he didn’t want to say then he usually just told Fred that he didn’t want to talk about it and Fred would accept it and move on. However, Harry couldn’t shake the fact that Fred was hiding something about the new shopkeeper opposite and his auror side of him just couldn’t quite let it go even though he had no idea why it bothered him.

Fred was still looking at him a bit strangely but Harry reached out and took Fred’s hand playfully. “Also I was thinking I could go to the bakery and pick up your favourites for after lunch?”

“Hmm, well I suppose I can’t say no to that and I have always thought you should just live your life the way you want to live it and forget what the press say.” Fred said, seemingly less suspicious now. 

*~*

After a shower and a basic breakfast of toasted crumpets and freshly squeezed orange juice with George, the twins went down to open up the shop and Harry found himself looking out the window of Fred’s bedroom again. At 9 o’clock exactly the white canvas disappeared and the shop opposite was revealed. It certainly was transformed. 

The wooden panelled shop front was still black but it had been repainted so that it was glossy and shiny and the wooden panels had a thin elegant gold trim all around the inside of each one. It had a glass door with a long narrow window either side and then to the right was a large clean shiny glass square to reveal the beauty within. The black strip across the top of the shop had fancy gold lettering on that said: Pierre’s Parisian Potions, Perfumes and more. 

Through the windows the golden light was shining out from the ornate gold chandelier inside. There were some beautiful gift baskets on display in the large window. Harry couldn’t quite see the rest of what was inside the shop from here but he had seen enough to make him want to go inside, it was unlike any other shop on Diagon Alley. He couldn’t see anyone around it though, couldn’t glimpse the potions master who obviously had style and a good sense for business. It seemed a bit keen to go now as soon as it opened but Harry knew he wouldn’t be able to do any preparations for his book until his curiosity was satisfied. Also Diagon Alley seemed really quiet at the moment and he really wasn’t keen on going out in public still whatever he said to Fred. 

His mind made up, he made towards the stairs and out into the shop below. Verity was behind the counter, Harry suspected Fred was out the back making a start on the owl orders but he didn’t look for him or George. He greeted Verity politely and went out the front door into the street. He stood outside the new shop for a few moments giving it another look close up. True, it was a little bit poncy for Harry’s taste but it was also very sophisticated and really rather beautiful. He read the sign in the window about bespoke gift baskets and thought it was the perfect excuse to speak to the shopkeeper about something for Hermione. It would be nice to get something especially made for her anyway. He still couldn’t see anyone inside but it was definitely open so he placed a hand on the black wooden glass panelled door and pushed it open. 

What he saw inside actually kind of took his breath away. This shop was posh and it looked good! The floor was a smooth shiny white marble effect that reflected the light beautifully and contrasted the walls which were covered in black wooden panels the same as the outside but without the gold trim. On the left wall was an elegant floor to ceiling shelving made in twisted black iron with glass shelves. The shelves were dotted with short round crystal glass perfume bottles all with gold spray atomisers. In the middle of the left side of the room was an elegant black table with men’s products including eau de cologne, aftershave, hair products, bath products and shower gels. The right side of the room had the fancy gift baskets on the window sill, each one with a different selection of products showing examples of what could be done. 

The right side had a matching black table to the left side with women’s products but it was bigger than the men’s. It had a much bigger selection of hair, skincare and bath products on. The right hand wall had some really good artistic drawings of Paris on them in elegant gold frames that really stood out against the black. There was also a long narrow black table against the wall with catalogues and order forms explaining how many bespoke product options the store could produce for their customers. Running along the back wall of the shop were two shelving units that matched the perfume one except these had an array of premade potions on all in ornate glass vials with signature gold stoppers. The shelves had the same white labels with beautiful gold lettering that could be seen around the shop that said what the products were. Harry recognised the writing from the invoices and order forms he’d received from Monsieur Defoi over the past two years. 

In the middle of the two shelving units at the back was a black wooden panelled door that almost blended into the wall except for the gold handle that identified it as a door. Just as Harry looked at the handle the door opened and a very pretty, well dressed petite blonde witch stepped through it. 

“Good morning, apologies if you have been kept waiting oh-” She started speaking as she was closing the door behind her and then looked up to see who she was talking to. “Auror Potter, you are most welcome here.” 

The witch was very prim and proper with a formal tone but she still managed to seem friendly. She had obviously been surprised at who had just walked into the shop but she covered her surprise quickly and wasn’t flustered or fawning over him like some did. Harry wasn’t surprised she recognised him of course but he didn’t correct her on his title, it wasn’t common knowledge that he’d left the aurors yet. 

The ministry seemed reluctant to announce it for obvious reasons but Ron would be officially stepping into his new role next week so they would have to announce something then. Harry took a good look at the witch and he thought he recognised her too although he couldn’t immediately place how. She seemed to be around his age though. He was a bit disappointed not to see the wizard that Fred spoke of but he should have known there would be someone else to run the shop floor whilst he made the products. That was good business after all and it seemed like the shop was not short on money, it must have cost a fortunate to set this all up. 

Harry stepped up to the fancy black marble counter that ran the width of the shop about a meter in front of the potions shelves and back door that the witch was standing behind.

“Good morning, and not at all I was just enjoying having a look around.” Harry said politely.

“Well you are the first customer to come in Auror Potter, and it is an honour to have you.” She said with a small polite smile. “Might I ask what you think of the shop?”

“I have to confess I don’t usually shop in person much but I happened to be visiting the shop opposite and this caught my eye. It is very impressive.” He said honestly.

Her smile grew and it seemed more genuine now. She placed her hands delicately on top of each other on the black marble counter. “I am pleased you think so.” 

Harry smiled at her too and took one more step forward to place him directly opposite her at the counter. “Forgive me, Miss, but I really recognise you from somewhere, did we go to Hogwarts together?”

“I am impressed you recognise me but maybe it’s those auror skills of observation.” She smiled sweetly. “Yes we did, I was in your year although I’m afraid I was a member of your least favourite house.”

“Ah! I see, well not to worry I can assure you I don’t hold any grudges against the Slytherins now Miss… Greengrass?” He hoped he was right but he knew she wasn’t Parkinson or Bulstrode and there was only one other name he could think of from the female slytherins in his year.

“Correct, another case solved auror Potter. I’m not sure I believe you when you say you have no ill feelings towards any Slytherin alumni though.” Said Miss Greengrass with an amused smirk. 

Harry gave a bit of a chuckle, he couldn’t help it. As far as he knew they’d never actually spoken to each other before but he found that he was actually enjoying this interaction.

“Perhaps Miss Parkinson would be the exception, sorry if she was a friend of yours but she did try and hand me over to Voldemort in front of the whole school!” He said slightly less formally, his voice and his body language relaxing a bit now. 

It was Miss Greengrasses turn to let out a small laugh and she also seemed a bit more relaxed even though she was still in her professional shopkeeper role. “No need to apologise, she always was a bit of a bitch if we’re being honest.” She hesitated for a moment and was looking at him intriguingly. “Are you certain that no others stick out in your mind?!” She asked with a raised eyebrow.

“I have no idea who might be referring to Miss Greengrass.” Harry said feigning ignorance.

“Of course you don’t.” She retorted quickly with a bit of a twinkle in her eye clearly enjoying the interaction as much as he was.

Harry considered for a moment and then said with a serious looking face. “Please give your fiancé my best regards.” He said with a polite bow of the head.

“Ex-fiancé Auror Potter, clearly you don’t keep up to date with The Daily Prophet.” She said, still holding her smile with no tone of bitterness or sadness there whatsoever.

Harry didn’t hide the surprise from his face. He’d heard on the gossip chain of the engagement months ago but other than that he knew nothing about Malfoy’s life and what he’d been up to since the war. When he realised who he had been speaking too in the shop though he couldn’t help but think what a good handsome couple they would make, she seemed kind of perfect for Malfoy and he was now wondering what had happened. Surely Malfoy’s parents would want the marriage to happen.

“Oh… well no I try not to read the Prophet if I’m honest but I am genuinely sorry to hear that. I was just thinking how good you would be together.” 

Harry found himself speaking the truth which was odd considering how little he knew this witch, he couldn’t even remember her first name at the moment but oddly there was something he liked about her. She truly was very pretty to look at but she seemed to have a bit of wicked sense of humour underneath her formal nature. He could tell by the mischievous twinkle in her eye and her twisted smile. Also, anyone that could openly call Parkinson a bitch immediately won his favour. 

She also was just treating him like he thought she would treat any other customer even though she clearly knew who she was. Maybe it was because the Slytherins at school never idolised him and always saw his flaws. If he was straight he would even be tempted to ask her out on a date, maybe a Slytherin would be good for him.

She was looking at him as if analysing him too and he was wondering what she honestly thought of him. She definitely seemed to be considering something. After a short pause she spoke again.

“If you can keep a secret Auror Potter I am still friends with him so I think I will pass on your best regards after all.” She said with that playful smile.

Harry was slightly taken aback and didn’t really know what to do with that information. “Oh.” He said with a blink and then recovered himself. “Of course. School rivalries were a long time ago, I hope he is well.” 

Harry found as the words that came out of his mouth were actually true once more. He hadn’t seen Malfoy since he’d testified at his trial and he spent a while after that thinking about what he was doing with his freedom and how he was after the war. That was a while ago though and he honestly hadn’t thought about him in years. 

Miss Greengrass gave him a considered look and then a warm smile before slipping back to her professional mode. “Well Auror Potter, is there anything in particular you were looking for when you came into the shop this morning?”

“Yes there was actually.” He said politely. “I have actually been a customer of Monsieur Defoi -Sorry if I butchered the pronunciation there- for a while now. I have a weekly standing order with him and have been impressed with the quality of his potions. I think that this shop is owned by him and I guess I was eager to check it out. It’s nice to see that he has a premise now with more products.”

She looked at him in mild surprise again but seemed pleased. “I see, well it’s very good to have your custom, thank you.”

“I was actually hoping to meet him, I’d like to discuss a bespoke gift order with him if possible, is he around?” Harry kept his tone casual.

“I am afraid Pierre is a very busy man and cannot be disturbed during his brewing process. However I can make an appointment for you to meet him and discuss your order tomorrow if that is suitable for you?” She said opening a black leather diary on the counter and picking up a glamorous gold feather quill.

“Yes that would be fine, thank you. If you don’t mind I do like to avoid the crowds, would I be able to come first thing like today while you are quiet?” He asked looking behind him as he could sense the street outside getting slightly busier and a couple of witches were looking excitedly into the window of the new shop.

“Of course Auror Potter, I quite understand and I assure you that we know how to respect people's privacy here. Pierre is very passionate about discretion.” Miss Greengrass smiled at him politely again and even though Harry often found it hard to trust strangers let alone Slytherins, there was something about her that he did find trustworthy somehow. He was usually a good judge of character. 

“I shall put you in the diary for 9 o’clock tomorrow but be assured that if you’d like to arrive just before we open that would be acceptable and I can escort you into the back room to meet Pierre. If the shop is busier when you are ready to leave then you can always exit via the back.” 

She continued writing his name in the diary and then shutting the book. It glowed faintly as it closed and she caught Harry looking at it.

“It’s charmed so that only myself and Pierre can read it.” She assured him.

He nodded in approval to her. “Tomorrow then Miss Greengrass.” He said and then hesitated before adding “It has been a pleasure to properly meet you.”

“The pleasure is all mine Auror Potter.” She said politely with a nod of her own head.

Harry turned swiftly and exited the shop deliberately looking away from the ladies gathered outside and he quickly apparated to the back of his and Fred’s favorite bakery. He knocked on the back door of the bakery as he had done before. The owners would come to the back and would happily serve him there without him going inside.

*~*

Three hours later Harry was sitting in Fred and George’s sitting room with them whilst they had their lunch break and they were all enjoying the selection of pastries Harry had brought back. Harry had casually mentioned his trip to the shop and Fred and George both seemed intrigued. They listened to Harry’s description of the shop with interest but they gave each other a bit of a knowing look when Harry mentioned he had an appointment with Monsieur Defoi, or Pierre as he was also apparently known as. Harry didn’t miss the silent conversation the twins seemed to be having with each other and it made him even more certain that there was something they were keeping from him about the owner of the potions and perfume shop. 

Something else struck Harry too as he thought about his visit to the shop.

“George?” He asked as he finished off his cinnamon bun.

“Umm?” George responded looking up at Harry from his usual armchair licking the sugar off his fingers from the custard doughnut he’d enjoyed. 

“Do you remember a Greengrass girl from my year at Hogwarts? I think her name was Daisy or Daphne or something… She was in Slytherin.” He asked casually.

“What the one that just broke off her engagement with Malfoy?!” George frowned as if he didn’t understand why Harry brought it up.

“You knew about that?” Harry asked half surprised.

“Of course!” George said brightly. “Just cos you don’t read the papers doesn’t mean we don’t!”

“Georgie loves the gossip!” Fred teased.

“Anyway what about her?” George asked Harry seriously, ignoring Fred.

“Well she works at the shop, I spoke with her this morning.” There was another glance between the twins.

“Oh right.” George said casually while Fred looked away and helped himself to another cream puff.

“Yeh, she mentioned Malfoy actually, confirmed the split but said they were still friends or something, it was a bit odd actually but…” Harry trailed off and noticed that the twins were avoiding his eye. He once again felt like he was missing something.

“Anyway, I don’t really remember her much from school but there’s something about her you know, I erm, well I think I like her.” George and Fred looked at Harry then in surprise, clearly this wasn’t what they expected him to say.

“Is this your way of telling us you’re really straight?!” George said laughing.

Fred raised his eyebrows. “I can assure you brother, he’s definitely not straight!”

“Bi then!” George said looking at Fred.

Harry was laughing too. “No, that’s not what I meant. I’m definitely not into women but I couldn’t think but think she might be a good match for you George.”

Fred turned towards George with an amusing smile but George looked a bit surprised and undecided.

“Well she is fit from what I saw in the paper but not sure if I want Dr- erm Malfoy’s seconds.” George covered his mistake quickly and Fred gave him a quick concerning look before looking away. 

Harry noticed it though and was determined that one way or another he’d find out what the twins weren’t saying. For now though he did genuinely want to make a start of the preparation for his book so he thought he’d go back to Grimmauld after all. He’d hadn’t been back there for nearly two weeks and Kreacher would be pleased to see him, besides he was running out of clean clothes at the flat. He knew that Fred was going out Monday evening anyway and he actually fancied some alone time tonight. Harry gave Fred a kiss and told him that he’d pop back in for breakfast tomorrow morning before his appointment at the potions shop.

Kreacher was indeed happy to see him when he arrived back at Grimmauld place. He was fusing around him taking his coat and making him feel welcome. His house elf was old now so it was good that Harry wasn’t here all the time, Kreacher had plenty of time to himself and definitely didn’t work everyday but he kept the house clean no matter what and did seem to enjoy having a master to look after when Harry was around. Hearing that Harry was staying tonight and would need dinner he immediately wandered off to freshen the sheets on Harry’s bed muttering about what he’d cook this evening. Harry had tried to tell Kreacher after the war that he could work at Grimmauld as a free elf but Kreacher had been so confused and upset by the whole idea that Harry had given up. Instead he just always made sure that Kreacher was treated well and he never gave him a direct order he just nicely asked him to do things. 

Harry sat at his desk in the library/study for the first time in two weeks. He used to spend lots of evenings here finishing off all his auror paperwork, he usually did Ron’s share too as that had never been Ron’s strength but at least the head Auror position came with a secretary. Thinking back to his old job Harry once again was filled with relief that he’d walked away from it. He was already so much happier, well not happy exactly but definitely less stressed. Pulling out parchment from the drawer he took his favourite quill in his hand and made a start taking Fred’s suggestion to list all the events from the start of Hogwarts until the end of the war that he wanted to include. He definitely wasn’t going to talk about his life before school but telling everyone what really happened with the philosopher's stone and the chamber of secrets would be the easiest place to start. 

As he was going through the events he also started two other lists of people involved that he would need to talk to and get permission from and any contentious issues that he might need Kingsley’s guidance on. He also made a mental note to go and ask Luna for help, she was on the list anyway but Harry also wanted to know if she would edit the book for him. She had taken over from her father running The Quibbler which had carried on improving in popularity after the war. Hermione would have made a great editor too but Harry didn’t want to add to her already busy work and family schedule. Luna was in a relationship with Neville but he spent most of the year at Hogwarts in the post of Herbology Professor and head of Gryffindor house. Everyone thought it was a bit strange that a couple spent that much time apart but for Luna and Neville it worked for now, they both valued their own time and their careers. 

The list started well, first year and second year weren’t that bad. Third year was where it got tough thinking about Remus and Sirius was always hard for Harry but he walked to tell their stories more than any other in the book. He thought about what it would be like for Teddy for him to tell the world what a hero and a good man his father was and hopefully it would help the public’s attitudes towards werewolves too. Sirius had been posthumously cleared of all charges after his death with the Ministry but that had been just before Dumbledore’s death so that and everything that happened after kind of overshadowed it. Thinking about it Harry wondered if most of the public knew the truth about Sirius’ innocence and the fact that Peter had betrayed his parents. They probably didn’t and Harry wanted to honour his Godfather and his parents in his book. 

He wasn’t really thinking of it as a biography, although it followed the events of his life he didn’t want it to be about him at all. He wanted it to be about all the other heroes who helped ‘The Hero’ as the world called him. Fourth year was hard too as he realised that he was probably going to have to ask Mr and Mrs Diggory if he was going to talk about Cedric’s death and the graveyard. Sighing, he put them on the list. Writing about fifth year would be awful, that was one of Harry’s worst years of his life but it would give him an opportunity to write about how corrupt the Ministry was then and how much it’s turned around. Although he had his personal misgivings about how he was treated at the Ministry even now, he was Kingsley’s man through and through and he did know how hard they’d all worked to reform the wizarding government. It wasn’t perfect but it was miles better than it used to be and he had a lot of friends who worked there who he would never betray.

Fifth year was also where he’d made one of the worst mistakes of his life falling for Voldemort’s trap. He was still carrying around guilt from Sirius' death all these years later. Thinking about it though even though it would be difficult to write about he was also keen to show the public that he had made lots of mistakes over the years. He definitely wasn’t the perfect hero they perceived him to be and that’s what he wanted to get across. Tonks had fought that fight too and he was determined to show Teddy how amazing his mum was too. Moving on to sixth year made him realise that there was one other person that Harry needed to talk to. Suddenly the conversation he had to have with the Diggorys seemed easy. This one would not be easy. 

After not thinking about him in years his name had come up a lot today, it was very strange. Harry wondered why he hadn’t thought about him in so long considering how closely their lives had been intertwined for so long. How many hours had he spent thinking of him in sixth year, watching him on the map, obsessing about what he was up to. Now he had no idea where he was or what he was doing but he then remembered that he’d just spoken to someone today who would surely know how to find him, she said they were still friends. Maybe he would have to have another conversation with Miss Greengrass, he thought as he added one last name on the bottom of his list.

Draco Malfoy.


	6. Draco: Monday 12th & Tuesday 11th September

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Long chapter for you!   
> Not sure if that's a good thing or a bad thing... but given you a couple of breaks!  
> Tried to edit it down but I like the dialogue and lots of little things I wanted to get in there.  
> To be honest the rest of my chapters are looking pretty long too... let me know if that's a bad thing! Still would love to hear your thoughts!  
> Anyway hope you enjoy the first meeting between Harry and Draco... sort of! ;)

Draco always woke up early, he was naturally a morning person and didn’t usually sleep that well but this morning was particularly early. He hadn’t slept particularly well at The Manor because of the memories that place held for him now but at least his bed had been a comfortable place to lie down. His new bed however, was not. There was only so much he could do with the magic he knew to improve the quality of the mattress and the sheets if the materials weren’t there in the first place. The house elves at the Manor knew exactly what he liked; one of them had always bought him a coffee at 6am in his suite and he was missing it. Particularly because of the quality of the coffee. He had mugs in his basic kitchen here obviously and could boil water and mix it with instant coffee with a flick of his wand but it wasn’t the same.

He was feeling very anxious today and he didn’t cope well when he was anxious. During the war and the aftermath he’d suffered panic attacks and nightmares repeatedly, it had been bad. It was only meditation, exercise and being in the water that helped keep him calm in his daily life. His new life here didn’t include being able to swim or even relax in a bath but the addition of his daily yoga was helping. Yoga was something he’d picked up from one of his french muggle-born lovers and he liked it. He didn’t really understand all the spiritual connections that some muggles apparently had with it but as a basic form of exercise and meditation it was good so he’d researched it more and come up with his own little routine. He usually only did it along with his meditation exercises in the evenings but he had lots of time this morning and he needed to calm himself down. 

Daphne had said she would come early for breakfast to go through everything one last time before they officially opened the doors for the first time at 9am. When she arrived however, she was not along and he was surprised but pleased to see Blaise come through the back door of the shop too. Blaise registered Draco’s surprise.

“What? You think I’d miss the chance to wish you good luck on opening day?” He said to Draco smiling at him.

Daphne came to give him a kiss on the cheek. “Morning darling.” She said before boldly making her way up the stairs to Draco’s flat above holding a brown paper bag.

“Good to see she feels at home here.” Blaise joked.

“Yes, that is good. Merlin knows why though when I don’t feel at home here! Sorry you have to have breakfast in my depressing flat.” Draco said with a hint of bitterness.

“Hey, you’ll get there! The shop looks incredible and you made the right choice spending all the money there. The flat is phase two and you’ll soon be rolling in money and you can make it look and feel good too.” Blaise said encouragingly, putting a hand on Draco’s shoulder and giving it a gentle squeeze. “Besides it’s got to be better than living with Lucius right?!” 

Draco snorted. “Yes it definitely is!” 

Blaise smiled. “Well there you go then, life is going in the right direction.” 

Then there was a shout from upstairs. “You boys coming up to breakfast or not?”

Draco and Blaise looked at each other and silently decided it was best not to cross Daphne so they both made their way up the stairs. Draco realised that just having both of his friends here had immediately relaxed him much more successfully than his morning wellbeing routine and crappy coffee had. 

Upon entering the main room in his flat he saw that Daphne had duplicated the existing black wooden stool a couple of times so that three of them now sat in a row. By each stool on the kitchen breakfast bar was a plate of smoked salmon and cream cheese on a toasted bagel and a glass of pumpkin juice.

Blaise sat down at the far stool immediately and took a sip of his juice. Daphne smiled at him and took the next stool but Draco hesitated slightly.

Daphne saw and sighed. “Come on Draco, don’t start! I told you I was bringing breakfast and before you say anything, no I didn’t spend any money on you. The house elves at home made them up so it doesn’t count.” 

Draco thought about arguing but it did really look good and he hadn’t really eaten properly this weekend so he shut his mouth and sat down to tuck in mumbling a thanks for Daphne. Money was a bit of a sore subject with him and his friends now but he didn’t want it to come between them.

The chat over breakfast was nice and Draco knew his friends were keeping him calm and distracted which he was grateful for. At quarter to nine Blaise wished him luck again and gave Draco a rare hug. He gave Daphne a kiss on the cheek as normal and then left out the back to apparate to his work. Draco and Daphne double checked the shop floor and made sure there was change behind the counter as well as the order book, the diary and the record keeping book. She also had a couple of elaborate gold quills as well as a gold ink pot and a black ink pot. There was also a magic quill on top of the record book that would automatically note down anything that was sold as Daphne dictated to it. 

One minute to nine and Draco suddenly felt sick again but Daphne assured him it would all be fine. He’d already agreed to just let her run things. He doubted they would be busy and he had no intention to spend time on the shop floor anyway. He would not be meeting any clients today, he wanted a day to brew which would help him relax. Hopefully Daphne could take care of any bespoke orders but if anyone particularly insisted on meeting with him she would schedule an appointment that way he would have time to adopt his disguise. Draco had set up a colour coded alarm system that would send a flashing light into the potions room or his back office if Daphne activated it with a spell so she could easily call him out if needed. Green was ‘I want to see Draco and it’s safe to come up, amber was ‘I’d like to see Pierre when he has a moment’ and red was ‘this is an emergency come now’. He preferred to take his time altering his appearance but he had been practising his spellwork so he could do it quickly if he really needed to.

He disappeared down into his potions lab and warded the door so that no one could come in. He knew that Daphne would now be making the white canvas wrapped around the front of the building disappear. He was so nervous about what people thought of it. He’d spent so long thinking of his vision for the shop and put so much work into it not to mention all the money he had. It had to work, it just had to. He put his shields up and blocked out anything that might be happening in the new open shop upstairs and put his potions master hat on. He was experimenting with a new potion today, he’d been saving it to channel his nervous energy into and he was all up to date with his stock and orders. Hopefully by the end of the week he’d have a lot more new orders.

*~*

Daphne came down into the potions lab at lunchtime after knocking on the door so that Draco could let the wards down. They had agreed to close the shop for an hour each lunchtime so that Daphne could have a decent break. Some of the other smaller shops on the street did this too so most people knew not to come during lunchtime if they only had a short time to shop. She told him that generally speaking it had been quiet outside as a whole but pretty much everyone that passed had come in to have a nosey and they all had good things to say. She sold one expensive perfume and one cheaper eau de cologne as well as some basic potions. One lady had also ordered a calming lavender themed large gift set to be delivered next week. Draco’s spirits were lifted immediately. It had clearly been a decent first morning. 

In a much better frame of mind he made good progress on the experimental potion that afternoon even though it would take a couple of days to truly see the fruits of his labour. The afternoon went so quickly that when the green light flashed through the cellar at five o’clock to indicate that it was safe for him to come up it took him by surprise. When he came up the stairs and into the small hallway at the back of the shop he could hear Daphne just finishing warding the front of the shop securely so that people could still window shop but no one would be able to break in. A moment later and Draco felt the magic settle and she came through the door carrying the diary. 

“Ah excellent, do I have appointments?” He asked her.

“Yes a couple.” She said smiling.

“Come on then let’s sit in the office and you can talk me through them.” Draco and went into the other door next to the one that led to stairs. 

This was his modest office space. It was simple but it had been included in the work the contractors did as he would be meeting clients here so it needed to look good still. It had a black ebony desk with a black chair on either side. Each chair had a gold cushion on to match the colour scheme of the shop. The floor was white in here too but it was a more simple (and cheaper!) wooden one. There was a bookshelf with his nicest potions and alchemy books on as well as his various trophies and accolades he’d earned during his time in France. His master's certificate had been framed on the wall adjacent to the desk and he’d managed to alter the name so it now belonged to his business alias Monsieur Pierre Defoi. Along the back wall he’d framed all his hand drawn designs for the shop. He was proud of them and hopefully it would show his customers how well he’d worked to get to this point. He could draw quite well even if he did say so himself and it was much cheaper than getting proper art for the walls!

Daphne sat down on the chair nearest the door and Draco took his chair on the other side. He held out his hand to take the diary from her but she held onto it firmly.

“I need to talk to you first.” She said in a firm but friendly tone.

Draco drew back his hand slowly and looked at her trying to read if this was good or bad. When he didn’t speak she carried on.

“You have an appointment tomorrow afternoon with an older lady who wants to discuss the possibility of a bespoke weight loss potion for her and I suggested some sustenance potions too to go alongside it.” Daphne said in her professional shopkeeper mode. 

“Fine, thank you.” He said back politely thinking this wasn’t what she really needed to tell him about. “Is that it for tomorrow?” He asked deliberately.

“No, you also have an appointment in the morning.” She said slowly without elaborating.

Draco raised an eyebrow at her suspiciously. “With…?!” He asked dramatically.

Daphne took a deep breath and then looked him straight in the eye. “Harry Potter.”

“Absolutely not!” He snapped quickly as a natural reaction to the name.

“Dra-” Daphne started but Draco interrupted her.

“No Daphne, you’ll have to cancel it or just take the meeting yourself, make something up I don’t care!” Draco’s mind was racing. Had Potter really been here in his shop?! That seemed so surreal.

“I know what you’re going to say Draco but can we at least discuss this?” Daphne rushed out all in one go before Draco could interrupt her again. 

“There’s nothing to discuss. Tell me what he wants and I’ll make it but I’m not seeing him.” Draco said, crossing his arms stubbornly. He couldn’t believe Daphne would make this appointment.

“You’ll be meeting him as Pierre, it will be fine. He wants to meet the owner, apparently he’s been a customer of yours for nearly two years did you know that?” Daphne asked calmly.

Draco blinked a little bit in surprise and uncrossed his arms. He didn’t know that in truth, he had a few anonymous clients. It felt strange to him that he’d been supplying Potter’s potions for nearly two years, that would make him one of his earliest clients. Potter liked his products, that was something! He felt strangely proud. 

Daphne took Draco’s quiet thinking as an opportunity to talk again. “He seemed really eager, he was straight in here a minute after we opened and was really impressed with the shop.” She said smiling.

There was something there that made Draco frown though. He always signed his invoices and order forms for his mail order customers as Monsieur Defoi but he chose the alliteration of Pierre for the shop front and it sounded more friendly too. Admittedly his customers would recognise the signature gold writing and his unique vials and that was fine, he wasn’t hiding that but how did Potter know about his shop opening to be here just literally after opening. Then he suddenly felt panicked once again.

“How did he know about the shop opening? Daphne, he's an auror for Merlin’s sake! What if he’s worked out it’s me and that's why he wants to meet me! He probably doesn’t even need to order anything. He’ll work out it’s me and- and-”

“And what? What’s he going to do? Run and tell your father?! Or put it in The Prophet? Do you really think he would do that? Draco you listen to me now.” Daphne said fiercely. “Do you really think that I would just blindly let him back here without properly talking to him? Without thinking it through? I would never do anything to put you at risk. I know how much you value your privacy and this business.” 

Daphne spoke so passionately that it took Draco’s next words out of his mouth again. He hadn’t thought about Potter in so long. He hadn’t seen him since he testified at his trial the summer after the final battle. 

Potter had spoken well there and Draco had no doubt that it was his testimony that had helped him and his parents secure their freedom. They had exchanged a look at the end and Draco had given him a small smile and a nod that he hoped had conveyed his gratitude. He’d written several letters to Potter after that trying to thank him properly and potentially even trying to form some sort of official truce with him but he’d never ended up sending any of them. When he moved to France he cut himself off from England almost completely and buried all the bad memories of the war. Since being back he avoided the Prophet but even so he hadn’t heard anything about Potter other than little snippets from Blaise and Daphne. All he knew was that he was an auror and still the Ministry’s golden boy. 

He looked at Daphne carefully. “You spoke to him?” Draco said slowly.

Daphne was nodding and gave Draco a small smile. “I did, for a while and I was impressed with what I saw.”

“Yes I’m sure Harry bloody Potter is very impressive.” Draco said bitterly, rolling his eyes.

Daphne raised his eyebrows at him. “I didn’t mean it like that, I’m not some stupid fan girl Draco give me more credit than that.” She paused and then carried on in a more serious tone. “I meant I like him, he’s different now, not like I remember him being at school at all. He knew about the shop because he was at the Weasley shop and he saw it out the window, I guess they’re good friends. He honestly was complimentary and she said he wanted a bespoke gift basket. I think he was genuine.”

“Oh” Draco said before he could stop himself. 

He then made the connection, Potter was obviously the customer that recommended him to the twins and that’s how he would know about the shop. The twins knew his real identity though, would they have told him? They hadn’t done so far, they’d known who he was for six months now... Maybe it was foolish to trust them, Draco didn’t trust easily but he also thought he was quite a good judge of character and somehow he trusted them. Daphne was also a good judge of character and he trusted her, maybe it would be ok.

“How is he different?” Draco asked his curiosity getting the better of him.

“Well he’s fit for starters!” Daphne said smiling.

“Fit?! Are we talking about the same Harry Potter? The scrawny boy with ridiculous glasses and atrocious hair?!” Draco said looking at Daphne suspiciously.

“Oh come on Draco you’re not fooling me! He may have been like that first year but you know as well as I that he grew into his looks a bit by fourth year and he’s definitely got a sense of style now that he didn’t have before. Trust me, you’ll want to see him.” She said with a smirk.

Damn Daphne but she was right, he very much wanted to see him. He knew even if it was foolish to meet him that he was going to have to. His curiosity was already getting the better of him.

“Also he seems nice, I liked him. He has a good sense of humor, he kept pace with me and my little ways which is hard to do.” She said with that classic mischievous grin she was known for. “He seemed genuine. He was really polite to me even after he knew who I was. He wasn’t bothered about the Slytherin thing. I really do think he’s left all that petty stuff behind him. He even told me to pass his best wishes on to you.”

That caught Draco’s attention. “To me specifically? Or-”

“To you Draco.” She interrupted.

“You mentioned me?” He asked. 

Daphne spoke again considering her words carefully. “He told me to give his best wishes to my fiancé, clearly you’re not the only one that never reads the news! I told him you were my ex-fiancé but that we were still friends so I would pass them on regardless. He also said that school rivalries were a long time ago and he hoped you were well.”

“He said that?” Draco asked, surprised but secretly pleased.

Daphne nodded. “Meet him as Pierre by all means but even if he does work out that it’s you I really don’t think he’ll care. I’m not sure why I know that but I just have a feeling.” She said with a twinkle in her eye.

“Fine, I’ll hold the appointment with him but I’m definitely meeting him as Pierre.” Draco said decidedly.

Daphne had a very satisfied smile and finally passed the diary over to him. “You also have a couple of meetings on Friday but I left you Thursday to brew with Wednesday being our day off.” 

They had decided to keep the shop closed on Wednesdays for now so that they could open Saturdays which would be busier and Daphne could have a day off during the week. Draco knew it would be unfair of him to ask her to work more than five days. Most of the shops shut on Sundays and a couple of the smaller ones were closed on Wednesdays too so they doubted it would affect business too much.

Draco took the diary from Daphne and started looking through it. He was impressed, she’d made neat clear notes by each appointment about what the client was after. Once again he realised how lucky he was to have her.

She smiled at him and stood up. “If that’s all for today I’ll see you tomorrow?” She asked politely.

“Yes thanks” He said warmly.

She turned to leave but he called out to her as she opened the door.

“Daph” He said informally, he wanted her to know that he was talking to his friend not his employee. 

She turned around as he stood up and walked round to her from behind his desk.

He gave her a warm kiss on the cheek. “I’m sorry I snapped at you, I know you wouldn’t do anything to risk what we have here and I trust you. I’m lucky to have you.” 

He didn’t talk about his feelings a lot so hopefully she would know how much he meant it.

She placed her delicate hand on his arm. “I know, thanks darling.” She said fondly. 

Draco laughed. She had gotten in the habit of calling him darling in front of Lucius and Narcissa during their formal courtship dinners. Draco knew how much she’d enjoyed playing the role of pure-blood fiancé and the affectionate name for him had kind of stuck, he found that he liked it. 

Once Daphne had left Draco warded the back door too and checked all his security measures. He looked over the diary again and made himself a to-do list on his desk. He frowned a little when he realised that Potter’s notes were definitely lacking. All he knew was that he wanted a bespoke gift basket for a friend but he guessed he’d just have to find out the details from him in the morning. There was a note to say that he would most likely be arriving just before the shop opened to avoid the public and would prefer to leave through the back of the shop afterwards. 

Obviously privacy was important to him. Draco always thought that he loved the attention but maybe he didn’t. Daphne said he was different now anyway. Maybe he’d changed a lot, maybe Draco didn’t really know him at all. After all Draco had changed too, they probably all had. He decided he would just forget everything he knew about his former schoolboy rival and meet him again as a stranger. Having Pierre’s face would allow him the opportunity to do that and he had to admit he was curious about getting to know Harry Potter. From what the twins had said about the person who had recommended him to them armed with the knowledge that he was seemingly one of his oldest clients Draco thought he’d worked out which one Potter was. 

There was a wizard who had incredibly scruffy writing and had a weekly order with him sent straight to his house elf called Kreacher. Funny name for a house elf really and it had a familiarity that Draco couldn’t quite place. The order consisted of five dreamless sleep potions, three headache potions, three calming draughts and two hangover potions. That was a worrying amount, Draco had often wondered what on earth this wizard needed them all for but he assumed that maybe he had a large family with several members suffering from PTSD or some anxiety condition and they shared them around. If Potter really was taking them all himself and had been for nearly two years though… that was concerning. Life as an auror was obviously tough. Was Potter ok? Draco wondered, then he became mildly surprised with himself that he was caring about Potter’s well-being. 

Draco checked the money behind the counter and the record books to see exactly what was sold. He made a list of the stock he needed to replace and sent the memo down to his potions lab. He was tempted to take his small earnings today and get himself some dinner but instead he put it aside. He would need to pay Daphne at the end of the week and he had his meal with Blaise tomorrow he could cope until then. Instead he wandered into his bare kitchen and got some bread out that he picked up from the bakery in Diagon Alley on Saturday. He’d been there a few times now and he liked it there. They would come to the back door to serve him so he didn’t need to go in and risk seeing anyone. They were polite and friendly and didn’t seem to care who he was. He didn’t have anything to go with the bread but fortunately it was fresh enough under the statis charm that it still tasted good on its own. He was tempted to finish it but his stomach was adjusting to less food and he thought he might need some of it before his appointment with Potter in the morning.

*~*

Monday night’s sleep was a bit better than Sunday’s. He was apprehensive about the next day but he couldn’t help be happy with his first day of trading. Tuesday morning he still woke early though so he did another yoga routine. This was rapidly becoming something he did twice a day not just once and he liked it. Routine was his friend and he liked being kept calm and grounded. Thinking about Potter was dangerous as it reminded him of other things he’d buried long ago. He spent a while in the mirror making sure his appearance as Pierre was perfect. He lengthened his glossy smooth hair so that he could pull it back into a man bun. It was neat but not entirely scraped back with a couple of deliberate wispy bits at the front and was nice a warm deep brown colour. He coloured his eyebrows to match and put some muggle brown lenses in to cover his distinct grey eyes. Blaise had got them for him through one of his connections into the muggle world. His skin, build, nose and mouth were still his own and he liked that, he could still look down and feel like himself even though he had to act the part. 

Admiring the complete look he was happy. This was the outfit he’d bought with Pierre in mind and would be wearing to all his appointments. Hopefully his customers would just see him as a man of habit and routine who owned multiple navy slacks and white shirts rather than a poor man who could only afford one outfit. He was dressed in simple navy slacks with a brown belt and brown shoes with a white shirt open at the collar but his neck was covered in an elegant patterned brown and blue cravat that added some style to the outfit. His sleeves were ever so slightly rolled up but any glimpse of the dark mark was covered with a specialised wand holster that he never took off. It was a lot thicker than the normal models so it covered the inside of his left forearm completely and was made of leather with two bands that held it in place around his wrist and just below his elbow. It was charmed so he could change it to any colour. Usually his preference was black but as Pierre he wore brown leather belts and shoes so he changed it to match. 

His wand was visible down the centre pocket and could be drawn with his right hand at a moment's notice. Hopefully the fact that he had his sleeve rolled up slightly would put any suspicions of the dark mark he wore out of someone’s mind as they would probably expect someone hiding it to have their sleeves firmly held right down to the start of their hand. It was a bit of a risky double bluff but the wand holster was charmed securely on and would not budge. It was 100% waterproof too so he wore it all the time even in the shower so he never had to look at the mark either. He’d had it commissioned in Paris a couple of months after he’d arrived and worn it ever since so now it was just part of his arm.

Half an hour later he was sitting behind his desk with his notes ready to meet Potter. He was writing to make it look like he was busy but in reality it was nonsense. In his head he was reminding himself of Pierre’s habits and persona, he was worried it would be easy to slip into the old Malfoy ways in front of Potter even if he wasn’t even a Malfoy anymore. Potter was indeed a bit earlier but they were ready so it didn’t matter. He felt Daphne cancel the wards on the front door and heard mumbled chatter between the two of them from the shop. Draco couldn’t hear what they were saying but it sounded friendly, how strange that Daphne and Potter were casually conversing in his shop. He could hear them getting closer and meant down over his notes again. Daphne knocked once and once Draco told her to come in she opened the door.

“Auror Potter is here for his 9 o’clock appointment Monsieur Defoi.” She said formally.

“Thank you Daphne, please send him in.” Draco said.

He wasn’t really putting on a different voice for Pierre as he wasn’t sure he could maintain it but it was definitely a brighter warmer tone than Draco’s. His own body language was usually quite stiff too but he was making himself relax and have more fluid movements. He wanted to strike the right balance between friendly and professional and give the air of confidence but not arrogance in his work. He felt Potter’s presence come in and heard the door click shut. The first thing that struck him was the smell of the man. Draco had always had a keen sense of smell but this was definitely recognisable as one of his own aftershaves and he remembered the order. The sandalwood scent was so manly but relaxing and the fact that Potter was wearing an aftershave that he made, let alone one of his favourites made Draco’s stomach do a weird floppy thing. He wanted to look up but forced himself to focus on his work still.

“Welcome Auror Potter, take a seat and I’ll be with you in just a moment.” He said finishing the line he was writing. 

This gave any customers time to look around and see his certificates and credentials as well as implying he was constantly a busy and therefore successful business man. The next line though did take him by surprise. 

“Thanks… and Harry is fine.” That voice was so familiar to him, it hadn’t changed at all and it made the hairs on the back of his neck stand up. 

Draco wanted to snap his neck up quickly and stare but he didn’t. He kept calm and turned the page of his notebook to open it on a blank one and carefully put the quill back in the ink pot on his desk. He folded his hand over the top of the notebook and then looked up at his client. What he saw though very nearly cost him his calm professional demeanour. This was undoubtedly Harry Potter but at the same time it was a completely new version of him that Draco hardly recognised. 

There was his signature jet black hair which was always ridiculously messy but this style... looked good. It was shorter at the sides and back than Draco remembered but still wavy all over and long and tousled softly on top just coming down across the right side of his forehead to cover his famous scar. It was still sticking out in all sorts of places but it looked gloriously windswept rather than scruffy. Underneath Draco could see those familiar emerald green eyes shining brightly beneath a pair of glasses but the glasses weren’t the stupid round ones of his youth. They were wider and slightly straighter on top and then round underneath. The frames were slightly thicker too and made from a stylish black wood. They suited his face and hair very well. His jaw was square, manly and covered in a thin layer of neat black stubble that surrounded his mouth and faded into this muscular neck. 

All Draco could think was that the auror work had been good for his body. He was still on this short side but definitely could no longer be described as scrawny, he had bulked out well in all the right places and well, there was no other word for it, Daphne had been right as always. Harry bloody Potter was sitting in front of him and he was fit! Somebody must have taught him how to shop too as he no longer had stupid old baggy clothes. He was dressed simply but smartly in a pair of slim fit black jeans, a casual white round neck top and a casual deep red jacket with the sleeves rolled up over the top. Draco had a slight panic when he realised he was still looking at Potter but he relaxed when he remembered he was Pierre. Pierre had never met Harry Potter before so he could be allowed to look. 

Potter was looking at him too with a friendly but scrutinising look right into his eyes. It unnerved Draco slightly, as if he was looking straight into his soul. He had to remind himself that he had Pierre’s brown eyes that Potter wouldn’t recognise. Just when Draco was trying to remember what Potter had even said to him and what he should say back Potter spoke again.

“You don’t have a French accent.” He pointed out.

“No I don’t” He smiled, of course the auror would say that first but even though he spoke French perfectly, he’d feel a bit stupid putting on a french accent with English words. Fortunately he could get round it by actually telling the truth albeit a much simplified version of it.

“My father has french descendants, hence the name but my mother is British. I grew up in England but learnt french from a young age and then moved to France to complete my education and do my potions masters.” He said in his professional but warm tone.

“Oh I see, fair enough.” Potter said in a clear and pleasant voice.

“I hear you’ve been a customer of mine for awhile now.” Draco was curious to hear for himself what Potter thought of his potions and it did amuse him that the man had been drinking potions made by someone he hated.

“Yes, a couple of years I guess, can’t really remember but someone in the Ministry was talking about this french guy who’d just started his own mail order potions business so I thought I’d check it out. Very convenient I have to say.” Potter was smiling curiously at him as if he was still trying to work him out. “The old guy at Slug & Jiggers always gave my house elf a bit of a tough time when he turned up to collect my potions for me as he refused to deliver them via owl.” 

Potter turned slightly more serious when he carried on. “My privacy is important to me, Miss Greengrass assured me that you would understand the need for discretion.”

“Of course Auror Potter, we are very happy to have your custom and I assure you I will make whatever you require without a word to anyone just like I would do for any other customer.” Draco said completely honestly.

“Good.” Potter said smiling. “I don’t want any special treatment. I just don’t want my order list to end up in the Prophet... and I asked you to call me Harry.” Potter said.

Draco wasn’t surprised he didn’t want it to end up in The Daily Prophet if he really was drinking all those dreamless sleep and hangover potions by himself. Draco thought about warning him that he’d likely already developed a mild dependency on them but then he thought better of it. It wasn’t like he cared and the money from that order was good. 

Instead he just said “If you don’t want any special treatment then I really shouldn’t call you by your first name. I don’t with any of my other clients.” He kept his tone friendly but firm. He left out the part where it just felt so weird, so wrong, to call him Harry, that just wouldn’t do. 

Potter gave a small low chuckle and Draco couldn’t help but think it was nice to be the one who made Potter laugh. He doubted he would laugh at anything Draco said. 

“Fine, but Mr. Potter or just Potter will do.” Potter said stubbornly with a half smile.

That was interesting, did he not like his auror title? When he raised his eyebrow at Potter he answered his unasked question. 

“If you read The Prophet next week you’ll understand.” Potter said cryptically.

Draco simply gave a nod in understanding. “Very well then Mr. Potter. Before we move on to the reason why you’re here, I have to confess I am curious as to what you think about the shop. I believe you were the first customer to see it.”

“It’s very impressive, nicest shop I’ve ever been in, that's for sure! Although I hardly ever go shopping to be fair so that might not be saying much!” Potter gave a half smile, half shrug that was quite endearing. 

Draco was once again struck by how nice he looked when he smiled. He’d never sat opposite Potter engaging in casual conversation like this and it was nice. Obviously there was no way the man would be this relaxed and this friendly if he knew who he was really talking to.

“Well I’m glad you liked it.” Draco smiled at him as Pierre and then was taken aback a bit when he saw Potter’s eyes lingering on his own mouth with a curious expression. This mouth was still Draco’s but there was no way Potter would recognise it so he ignored it and moved on.

Clearing his throat he glanced at the brief notes in his diary pleased for an excuse to look away from the handsome man in front of him.

“So, I believe you wanted to discuss a bespoke gift basket for a friend?” He asked, reaching over for his quill again ready to make notes in the book in front of him still not meeting Potter’s intense gaze.

Potter paused for a moment as he still seemed to be eyeing Draco but then he sat up in his seat and cleared his throat. Draco felt some of the intensity in the room ease which he was grateful for, he was beginning to feel a bit hot under the collar. 

“Yes, it’s my best friend’s birthday coming up and to be honest I’m useless at buying presents so I’m hoping you can help me out.” Potter said with another soft chuckle. 

Best friend? He hoped to Merlin that he wasn’t about to make something for the Weasel, he doubted that the redhead would appreciate the beauty of his products. He reminded himself that Pierre would make anything for anyone and technically this was his first bespoke commission so he was determined to do it well. Personal opinions about Potter aside, the man clearly had some money and if he was useless at gift giving maybe he could come here for many more commissions in the future so Draco was determined to impress him. Maybe there was another reason why he wanted to impress the man too.

He forced his mind back to the appointment in hand.

“Certainly I’m confident I can make something suitable for you. Perhaps you could tell me a bit more about your friend and then I could suggest something that they might like. Also what sort of size and budget were you thinking?” Draco asked professionally.

“Price isn’t an issue.” Potter said in a casual non-arrogant way. “It’s not a massively special birthday, she’s just turning 26 but she’s done so much for me and I’ve not really been there for her like I should have been in the past few years…” Draco looked up and saw a bit of an awkward and guilty expression on Potter’s face. This gift must be for Granger then, he wondered why they apparently weren’t as close as they once had been. 

“Anyway” Potter carried on. “She’s insanely clever and really career driven. She works at the Ministry as deputy head of the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures department. She’s passionate about justice and helping others, I think Kingsley is grooming her to take over from him one day...” Potter trailed off a smile and a soft expression as he spoke about someone he loved. 

Draco was almost envious as he could clearly see how much she meant to him, he couldn’t help but feel like no one would ever look that way when talking about him. He forced his eyes down and focused on the task of making notes with his elegant gold quill.

Potter cleared his throat again. “She just does so much for others you know, she’s so busy, always rushing round and never puts herself first. She’s a mum now and she’s just returned to work four days a week but even on her day off she spends most of it doing paperwork at home! On the weekends she is with her big family too, I just want her to be able to take some time for herself and relax a little. I was hoping that maybe the gift basket could help with that?”

Potter was looking at him now and he almost seemed nervous as if maybe his idea was stupid after all. Draco wanted to reassure him, in truth it was a good idea. He could picture Granger’s life now and though that maybe, weirdly enough, he might actually be able to help her relax. Even though it was odd to make something for Granger when he hadn’t thought about her in years, the fact that it was someone he knew did make the job easier for him.

He was about to ask but then he bit his tongue. Although then he reconsidered again, The Golden Trio were hardly a secret in the Wizarding world.

“Sorry if this is too forward Mr. Potter, I’m aware that your life might actually be different than the Press makes it appear, however would I be correct in assuming that this friend is Miss Granger?” Draco asked carefully.

The corner of Potter’s mouth turned up slightly and he tilted his head on one side to look at Draco again in a way that made Draco slightly nervous. 

“Yes, although she is Mrs Granger-Weasley now so clearly you don’t pay too much attention to the papers.” Potter said in slightly an amused way.

Damnit, Draco thought to himself. Would Pierre have known that? Was that a bit of a slip up? Oh well it wasn’t a big mistake and could be easily rectified. The easiest way to lie was to tell the truth after all, even if it wasn’t the whole truth. 

“My apologies, I have to confess I missed out on a lot of news during my time in France and even now I hardly read the papers. My assistant Daphne does however and I usually get all the gossip from her even though I only pretend to listen.” He smiled in a carefree way as Pierre. 

“I can understand that!” Potter said. He was relaxed into his chair now and looked content. 

Draco took a short breath and got back on track. “Well I think your idea is a good one for what it’s worth. I can definitely create a luxury calming gift basket.” 

Draco smiled to himself as he remembered a particular potions lesson during sixth year as he realised what he could do with that knowledge. It wouldn’t do to slip up again though as there was no way that Pierre would know that.   
“Do you, by any chance, know what Mrs Granger-Weasley’s favourite scents are? For example what comes to mind when she smells Amortentia?”

Potter had a faint red flush appear in his cheeks for a brief moment. “Oh, er, yeh I do actually, we brewed it at school. Erm, it was a while ago now though, think it was er- freshly cut grass and erm, parchment paper.” Potter then smiled to himself as if thinking of a fond memory and looked up at Draco. 

“Yeh I know, weird one right?!” He chuckled and then turned slightly more serious. “She also is weirdly obsessed with books, loves that old book smell you know?” 

He was thinking and then looked like he’d just remembered something else. “Oh and mint, her parents are dentists. She said once that spearmint reminds her of her childhood, and with the grass thing, I think she also likes the smell of trees, those woody notes I guess? She used to go camping with her parents in the Forest of Dean and that smell…” Potter trailed off and there was a flash of something painful through his eyes. 

Potter cleared his throat once more and sat up straighter. “Is, er, is that enough to go on?”

Draco smiled a soft smile that he hoped would be ok as Pierre but he actually genuinely felt it as Draco too. “Yes, Mr Potter, all those things are very helpful. I can definitely create bespoke product blends with those scents. The mint is a bit of an odd one out, I don’t think I’ll use that for the perfume but maybe I’ll make a mint shampoo to add variety to the box. What sort of tea does she drink?”

Potter frowned. “Erm I dunno, she does have some posh stuff, leaves I guess that she makes sometimes, she said it was healthy but Ron always makes a face when she mentions it… other times she just has regular tea so, er, I’ve never really asked…” He trailed off awkwardly.

“No matter.” Draco said casually. “I was thinking some tea notes would mix well with the scents of books, grass and forest floor and make it slightly more feminine. She probably has green tea then or peppermint, maybe both... I’ll make it work.” He finished confidentiality smiling at the impressed look on Harry’s face before speaking again.

“The largest normal gift basket contains bath salts, bubble bath, shampoo, conditioner, perfume, face cream, body butter, hand cream and hair mousse, all magical of course. I can take any of those products out though if you prefer. I do have other gift baskets that are more romantic in nature but I guess they would not be appropriate here.” 

“Merlin no! Not romantic!” Potter said quickly. “Erm, all those sounds good, honestly just whatever you think is fine.”

“Of course, thank you for your trust in my work. I was just mentioning the romantic gift baskets for your future reference in case you have a special lady in your life Mr Potter.” Draco said unable to resist himself. It wasn’t a question, he wasn’t prying or being unprofessional but it opened the door to something he found himself wanting to know.

Potter looked slightly flushed again which Draco found amusing, clearly he wasn’t great at talking about these things. 

“Er, thank but er, no, definitely no special lady.” He stammered out.

Intriguing, thought Draco. He must get a lot of offers after all, it was odd that he wasn’t married himself by now, what witch in the country wouldn’t want to be with Harry Potter?! Even if he was ugly he’d bag anyone he wanted but he definitely wasn’t ugly. 

“I didn’t mean to pry Mr.Potter, I was simply mentioning other things I can do.” Draco said quickly after he realised he’d paused slightly. “Back to the gift basket at hand, you mentioned that Mrs Granger-Weasley is a mother, is she breastfeeding?” He said professionally, desperately trying not to recoil at the image. He’d never been attracted to breasts, he couldn’t see why other men liked them so much.

Potter had that flush back in his face again. “Er- right, erm, I-I don’t know, she did when Rose was born but she’s older now and she definitely has a bottle, but then er, I suppose Hermione might er, express? Erm, I really don’t know...” He stammered out awkwardly.

Draco smiled to himself, he was enjoying making Potter squirm though. Clearly the other man wasn’t overjoyed with the image either but he assumed that was because they were such good friends. 

“Sorry Mr.Potter but it is an important question, I will ensure that all the products are medically safe for the baby too just in case.” Draco said professionally.

“Right, of course, I hadn’t thought of that, thanks.” Potter said quietly.

“Not at all, it’s my job.” Draco said confidently. “I think that’s everything I need to know. When do you need this by Mr Potter?”

“Her birthday is next Monday, the 19th, is that too soon?” Potter asked slightly nervously.

It was a bit, Draco thought to himself, but it would give him something to do, he just hoped he got the products bang on the first time. “I do usually prefer two weeks to create bespoke blends, Mr Potter, just for future reference but I will absolutely make this work for you.”

“Oh right, sorry, thanks though appreciate it.” Potter said running his hand through his hair and making it even more messy. It fell back softly when he removed his hand and was effortlessly scruffy but in such a good way. Draco almost had the urge to run his hand through it too. Merlin, what was happening here. 

“Not at all Mr. Potter, I appreciate the order.” Draco said truthfully. “I assume you would like the full gift wrapping including a note?”

“Yeah, that would be good please.” Potter said nodding.

Draco opened his drawer and got an elegant black gift tag out and another gold quill and ink set then placed them on the desk in front of Potter. “If you write it I’ll attach it on for you.”

“Great, cheers.” Potter said informally before taking the quill writing a short message and then passing it back along with the tag. 

Draco gave it a quick glance before setting it on top of his ‘to-do’ list to his left. Potter’s handwriting was so bad that he wondered if Granger would even be able to read it but then again he guessed she was used to it. Seeing the familiar messy scrawl also confirmed to Draco that Potter was the client he’d been thinking of. 

“Would you like me to have it sent directly to Mrs Granger-Weasley’s residence or would you like to collect it yourself?” Was Draco secretly opening he’d come himself so he could have an excuse to see him again? ….hmm maybe?

“Erm, I can collect it if that’s OK, would be easier for you I’m sure. We’re having a thing at the Burrow at 7. Obviously I wouldn’t impose on your time but I could pick it up just before you close on Monday?” Potter said eyeing him closely once again.

“No bother, Mr Potter, I shall be here regardless and Daphne said you like to avoid the crowds. You can pick it up from the back entrance after closing anytime.” Draco said before he really thought about what he’d offered. 

“Oh, er, thanks, that would be great actually if you’re sure you don’t mind.” Potter said, looking pleased.

The fact that Potter would be turning up at essentially his home anytime between five and seven did in fact unnerve him, why had he said anytime?! He hated that, he always liked to put a time on things but he could hardly take it back now. 

“Of course, just knock on the back door, even if I don’t hear it I’ll be able to feel you touching the wards. I value my privacy too so don’t try to open the door as the wards will hurt and stop you anyway if you do!” Draco warned truthfully.

“Noted! Thanks.” Potter said with a little chuckle again. “Erm, do we need to settle the bill now then?”

“I will need to work out the exact cost based on the ingredients for the blend and how much of each I’m using but I can give you a rough figure if you require it.” Draco noted that Potter was already shaking his head casually as if that wouldn’t be necessary. He gave him a short nod in acknowledgement. 

“Well you say you're a regular customer of mine, I do have a number of anonymous clients and I understand completely why you would prefer that. However, if you choose you can let me know your particular account number and I can simply add it to your regular invoice. If not then you can pay in coins when you pick it up next week, I don’t mind.” 

Potter looked like he was seriously considering this and he was giving that look to Draco as if he knew who he was. It made Draco worried that his disguise had slipped but he knew logically that it would only lift once he transfigured his features back using his wand. Plus he could still feel the man bun on the back of his head and his own platinum blonde hair wasn’t that long. 

Potter huffed and shook his head as if in disbelief. “Merlin, I can’t believe I’m trusting you with this but somehow I do. I don’t know my account number but it gets sent to my house elf called Kreacher so I think the account is in his name, is that enough?” He gave Draco a sort of shy smile.

There was something in that look and the way he’d said ‘you’ that made Draco panic again. It wasn't the first time that he felt like Potter knew who he was but how could he? Surely if he’d worked it out he would have made a scene?! He probably would have hexed Draco and stormed out and there’s no way Potter would trust him with him if he knew who he was. Merlin, he could poison him if he really wanted to. 

Then Daphne’s words came back to his mind. ‘...even if he does work out that it’s you I really don’t think he’ll care. I’m not sure why I know that but I just have a feeling’. It wouldn’t be the first time that Daphne would surprise him with her insight but Draco couldn’t see why Potter would willingly sit in an office casually conversing in this relaxed way with him as Draco let alone effectively confess how many potions he relied on. 

Draco could tell now that his posture was stiff and more ‘Draco-like’ than it should be. He willed himself to relax back into ‘Pierre-mode’. “That is plenty Mr Potter thank you. I will add it onto your invoice this week and I want to assure you again that discretion is as important to me as it is to you.”

Potter didn’t say anything but he nodded seriously.

Draco spoke again. “Is that everything I can do for you today Mr Potter?”

Potter smiled this time when he spoke. “No that’s great thanks, although I have to say I’m really impressed with how you can get me to speak about someone and then just know how to create a unique blend for them. I might just give you a list of everyone I know and their birthdays so you can handle all my gifts!” 

Draco smiled at him genuinely. “That would be most acceptable if you wish Mr Potter. I look forward to working with you again.” As he said it he found that he meant it. 

Potter stood up to leave and Draco strained his ears, he thought about calling Daphne to show him out but he could hear her delicate feminine voice chatting away in the shop.

“Allow me to show you out the back way Mr Potter.” He said, making his mind up.

Potter mumbled a thanks and Draco stood up and moved around his desk to the door. He stood to the side as he opened it for Potter. The man walked through first and then stood to one side in the hallway. Draco then sent open to the back door and did the same holding it open for Potter to leave. 

Potter walked to the door but just stopped in front of it and turned to Draco.

“Thank you again and I guess I’ll see you on Monday.” He smiled and held his hand out to Draco.

Draco looked at the outstretched hand. He never thought that Potter would hold his hand out to him and he was reminded of that time of the train all those years ago picturing them at eleven years old with an outstretched hand between them. Only that time it had been Draco’s and Potter hadn’t taken it. It had made him so angry, how dare Potter refuse him and think that he was better than him, he had half a mind to refuse Potter now only he wasn’t Draco. He was Pierre and Pierre would never refuse a handshake with a client.

He put his hand out to meet Potters and suddenly felt the warmth of his hand in his. Draco looked down at their hands and couldn’t help feel like Potter’s tanned slightly rough skin looked good against his own pale smooth elegant hand. Then he suddenly realised that this was Draco’s hand and Potter was looking at it too. He withdrew it quickly but not too sharply. Then he was strangely aware of how empty and cold his hand felt now and he put it in his back pocket quickly just to get it out of the way leaning casually on the doorframe as if nothing was amiss. 

Potter flashed him one last smile and walked out the door, then he was gone with a twist and a faint popping sound.

*~*

Draco ran up the stairs to his flat and summoned himself a glass of water. He felt hot and flustered all over and he didn’t know why. He grabbed the cravat from his neck and pulled it off, throwing it carelessly on the floor. Potter had got under his skin, but then he’d always managed to do that hadn’t he? He didn’t even know why he was surprised that the encounter had gone that way. 

There was something about this Potter that he liked and it didn’t hurt that he was nice to look at. In the most bizarre way Draco found that he felt lonely now the man had left, it was ridiculous though. It was just because he was surprised he was fit, that was all it was. It was just physical. He hadn’t been around a good looking man in ages, apart from Blaise but he’d never had that effect on him; they were too close as friends. Plus he hadn’t been laid since he came back to England so that didn’t help. He didn’t like bloody Potter. He didn’t even know the man now and everything he knew about him before wasn’t great. He was an arrogant annoying git and he was just so bloody… perfect. Perfect Potter! He was always so stupidly Gryffindor, so brave and daring and caring and passionate and fiery and… and… dammit these were supposed to be bad things!

Suddenly all these images that tormented him at school and confirmed the fact he was gay were coming into his head. Potter flying, diving effortlessly for the snitch... Potter casting the most powerful patronus easily from his broom... Potter on the back of a firebolt swooping around a dragon and dodging it’s fiery attacks smoothly... Potter in his dress robes at the Yule Ball dancing so awkwardly it was almost cute… Potter bending over him as he bled out on the bathroom floor with that look in his eye… Potter on a broom again reaching his hand out and grasping Draco’s wrist pulling him up and around him, such strength, such bravery, such skill on a broom as Draco held him close for the first and last time just after he thought he was going to die. 

Fuck! He thought he’d forgotten all about the way Potter had once made him feel. It had just been a stupid crush on the boy who had been the focus of his school life in one way or another, it hadn’t meant anything and it definitely didn’t mean anything now, he told himself. It was just Potter getting to him like he always did. He told himself when he came to England that he would just be celibate. He knew he couldn’t marry a woman and told himself that no man would have him anyway even if he was free to be openly gay now. Casual sex got old pretty fast when he was in France, it was ok, some of it had even been good but he’d never really found someone who lit his world on fire. 

Maybe sex was just what he needed though, perhaps he could go with Blaise when he next went out in the Muggle world as no one there would know him. He was a good looking guy, he could get someone easily he knew that. He made up his mind to ask him about it at dinner tonight, that would help him get Potter out of his head.

Maybe... But even after his dinner that night and his evening meditation there was only one thing on his mind as he went to bed. 

Harry bloody Potter


	7. Harry: Tuesday 11th September to Saturday 17th September

Harry felt good after his appointment with Pierre, it had been interesting to say the least. Even though it was mostly a professional meeting he enjoyed the way they’d interacted and there was something about the casual way they conversed together. He’d had a nice chat with Daphne, as she insisted he call her, too. She had that twinkle in her eye again and she almost seemed excited to introduce him to her boss giving Harry a mischievous smile as she left. 

The meeting had actually served two purposes really well. He was genuinely impressed that the man could make a unique blend of products and thought that it would probably end up being the best gift he’d ever given Hermione. He definitely was already planning on giving more business to the shop. 

Tuesday afternoon Harry had gone to visit Luna. He needed to confirm he had an editor for the book before he started and also wanted some writing tips. The visit had been really nice as he hadn’t spent time with Luna in ages. He had seen her at gatherings when everyone had been together but he felt guilty when he realised he’d been neglecting their friendship too. She was really honoured to be asked for help though and Harry could tell how excited she was to work on it with him.

Luna assured him that where her and her father were concerned he could write anything whimsically saying that they couldn’t be offended with the truth and the truth was all that mattered. Harry had awkwardly tried to say that it might be difficult for her to read about her father trying to hand them over to the Death Eaters but Luna had simply said it showed how much her father loved her and how people did desperate out of character things in a time of war. 

When he mentioned about her time in the Malfoy cellar she said that people had it much worse than her and that she’s learnt loads of interesting things from Olivander about wandlore. Harry was amazed once again but Luna’s attitude on life and how she could find a positive in every situation. After Luna’s he’d gone back home to do his daily workout including a run and then showered and brought back some clean clothes from Kreacher to Fred’s.

Once Harry was back in the twins’ living room ready for Fred and George to finish work he was feeling pretty content. He’d brought some leftovers from home as Kreacher cooked for him last time and the house elf always made too much. Fred and George would appreciate it, they all loved Kreacher's steak pies and there was a side of mashed potato to go with it too. 

Fred gave him a quick kiss when he came up the stairs. George followed him and tried to kiss Harry too but Harry pushed him away laughing. George pretended to sulk as he always did when they played this little game. Then he started wandering over to his bedroom calling out that he was going to take a shower but Fred rushed straight into the bathroom and managed to get their first locking the door. George was swearing at Fred through the bathroom door but Harry took no notice, he was used to their pretend fights.

Heading into the kitchen he decided to heat the leftover pie in the magical oven as they had time and it always tasted better than a quick warming charm. Then he set the table and got a beer out of the cooling cupboard for himself opening it and swigging straight from the bottle. He knew he probably drank too much but that was a problem for another day. He went back through to the sitting room and drank his beer whilst waiting for Fred and George. It was during these times that he wished he could put a TV in the twins flat but they didn’t really have anywhere good to put one in the small space and Arthur had said that Diagon Alley was far too magical to cope with muggle technology like that. Once again he wondered what wizards did in the evening without TV to watch, there were only so many books to read or games of chess to play! It was quite rare that he was relaxing here by himself though and he was never bored when the twins were in the room.

Weirdly Fred never came to Grimmauld even though it was bigger and Harry had a TV. Harry didn’t particularly like being there alone but he was a very private person and he didn’t really like having people over anyway, even Fred. It was strange and he knew it didn’t make any sense but it was just how he felt. Fred never questioned it, he had never once invited himself over or asked Harry why he’d never been invited, they had just settled in to Harry going to Fred’s. George seemed to like having company too and they could easily get the privacy they needed with silencing charms even though Fred and George didn’t seem to care much about privacy! Harry did though.

Fred finished his shower and got dressed into his casual clothes before joining Harry on the sofa. 

“You want a beer?” Harry asked him.

Fred shook his head. “No alcohol on a work night, you know that!”

“Sorry!” Harry laughed. “Coke then?” 

When Fred nodded enthusiastically Harry summoned one from the kitchen wandlessly. He got one for George too while he was doing it. Fred and George were used to Harry’s casual use of powerful magic and didn’t make a big deal out of it. He’d introduced the twins to this muggle drink and they loved it. 

He sent one over wandlessly to Fred and set the other one down on the coffee table before sitting down again. Fred started filling him in on their day at the shop. After a while George joined them sitting in his regular armchair and sniffed the air in approval of the pie smell that had started flooding in from the kitchen. Then he started drinking his coke listening to Harry talk about the thoughts he’s already had on his book over the last two days.

When the charm that Harry had set on the magical oven went off the three of them got up and walked through to the kitchen. Harry took a seat at the small dining room table while Fred waved his wand around and served up the pie and mash and George whisked up a quick gravy to serve with it. They thanked Harry for bringing in and sat down to tuck in. While they ate Harry filled them in on his visit with Luna. Even though he did the most talking, he still finished first as his portion was always smaller than Fred and George’s. He sat there with his empty plate as Fred and George were still eating and thought now might be a good time to bring up his appointment this morning.

“So, I erm, had that meeting with the mystery potions man this morning.” He said looking carefully at their expressions.

Except they kept their faces pretty blank. 

“Oh yeh? How did you find him?” Fred asked casually not looking up from his food.

“Interesting.” Said Harry carefully, already smiling at his next words and still looking for any reaction from the twins. “I actually thought he was a perfect mix between Bill… and Draco Malfoy.”

Fred started choking on his food and George gave him a bit of a look and then quickly replaced it with a distracting grin and a big dramatic slap on the back. 

“Alright there Freddie?!” He joked.

“Yep, sorry just swallowed it the wrong way that’s all.” Fred said, recovering.

George was looking between Fred and Harry with a face Harry couldn’t quite read and then shook his head laughing a little. “Bill and Draco.” He muttered under his breath clearly amused.

Fred shot him a warning look that Harry didn’t miss and he didn’t miss the use of Malfoy’s first name either. Clearly the twins were closer to the man than Harry thought.

“Sorry!” George apologised. “I can just see what he meant that’s all.” He said with a bit of a mischievous smile. 

“So did you sort out Hermione’s present?” Fred asked Harry casually.

“Oh cut the crap you two!” Harry burst out in a half annoyed half amused kind of way. “I know that Pierre is really Malfoy.”

Fred looked up at him in surprise and worry but George didn’t seem too concerned.

“Where did you get that idea from?” Fred asked but his voice was wavering slightly. 

The twins were great at lying when it came to pranking people but not when it came to the real stuff.

“Come on Fred, I told you he’d work it out. I don’t see the point in lying about it.” George said, his tone similar to Harry’s.

“I have never once lied about it… technically.” Fred said carefully and then he sighed and looked at Harry.

“I’m sorry, I- I just didn’t know how you felt about it, I mean it’s Draco you know? There’s history there and I just know you don’t like thinking about… back then.” Fred said awkwardly having completely abandoned his plate now. 

He reached over to put a tentative hand on Harry’s leg under the table. “Plus he was really freaked out when we guessed his real identity. He’s really private Harry and he made us promise not to tell anyone. I’ve never seen him so serious and so worried, I reckon there’s something going on there but it’s not our place to ask. He really cares about his business, it’s everything to him and we respect that so we kept our mouths shut.” 

“Not to mention he’s actually been crazy helpful and we wanted to keep him on board. We’re ok at potions but the stuff he knows is insane. We’re thinking of completely reworking our WonderWitch products with what he knows and paying him more as a permanent consultant.” George added seriously. “He could be good for us and it’s nice to have another shop on the street to work with.”

“Yeah but he won’t want to work with us if he thinks he betrayed his identity to Harry.” Fred said to his twin in a worried voice and withdrawing his hand from Harry’s leg.

“But you didn’t!” Harry assured him, quickly grabbing Fred’s hand back and giving it a squeeze. “I’m not mad Fred, I understand why you didn’t tell me. I know you wouldn’t do anything to jeopardize your business partnership with him and I’m glad it’s working out for you.”

“See I told you he’d be fine with it.” George nudged Fred on the shoulder then turned to Harry. “He’s been really worrying about keeping it from you but it really wasn’t our secret to tell and now you’ve worked it out for yourself without us breaking our promise so it’s all worked out!” George tucked back into the small bit of pie left on his plate and finished it happily.

Fred though was still looking at Harry a bit nervously. “Will you be ok about the fact that Draco literally lives opposite now?”

Harry blinked in mild surprise. Did Fred think he was going to duel him or something?! “Yeah it’s fine… It’s just Malfoy I don’t like the guy but I don’t hate him either plus he does seem to be really good at what he does, I’ve been drinking the blokes potions for two years and now he knows it’s me so he could poison me if he really wanted to!”

“He won’t.” George said quickly his mouth still half full with the last bit of his dinner. 

Harry looked mildly surprised at George now. “I know.” He said casually.

“Honestly guys it’s cool.” Harry said seriously looking between them. “The petty school boy rivalry was ages ago do you really think I’d hold onto a grudge like that?! Yeah he was a prick at school but so was I at times and then we had a fucking war! We both saved each other's lives when it mattered and even though I met him as Pierre he does seem different now.”

“Yeh, he really is you know.” George said earnestly.

“So, are you guys like friends with him now or something?” Harry asked casually.

“No, I told you that Harry it’s just-” Fred started

“-a business arrangement.” George finished. 

Harry smiled and kept the judgement out of his tone. “I know, I don’t care either way you know. It’s just you keep calling him Draco it’s weird.”

“Oh that” Fred said and looked mildly awkward again. “It’s just-

“-he doesn’t really go by Malfoy any more.” George jumped in. 

“He doesn’t?” Harry questioned. “But that’s his name…” He trailed off confused.

Fred and George both looked at each other and shrugged.

“Not our place to question it, it’s just what he said.” George said.

“Yeah, honestly we don’t really know anything about him. Reckon something happened but like we said, he’s very private and we really just want to focus on the products so we don’t ask.” Fred explained. 

“Oh, I see.” Harry said slowly.

Suddenly, having not given him much thought over the years, he realised that he wanted to know everything about Draco Malfoy. Had he really spent time in France? Would make sense. Unless he was just a fraud… the certificate on his wall had been in Pierre’s name. Was this business even legal? Or maybe he has changed his name if he doesn’t go by Malfoy anymore? But then he still meets the twins as Draco… and Daphne, she must know. Had they really been engaged? But then they were still friends, more than friends, they worked together! 

He had so many questions. 

What has he really been up to for seven years? Why wasn’t he marrying the beautiful pure-blood witch and living a life of luxury at the Manor. Did he really live above a shop? How often was he dressed as Pierre and not Malfoy? It had really just been his hair and his eyes that were different. Harry could recognise that nose and that chiseled jawline, those hands and those lips lips. Merlin now he was thinking of Malfoy’s lips. That was odd.

George started clearing the table and the movement brought Harry’s attention back to the present. Fred had laid an arm around his shoulders.

“You ok?” He asked quietly.

“Yeah, fine.” Harry replied honestly with a smile.

“Ok.” Fred said, giving Harry’s forehead a quick kiss as he stood up to help George.

George batted him away. “You go, it’s fine. I’ll clear up.”

Fred just nodded. “Ok cheers.”

Harry stood up and got another beer out of the cooling cupboard. Fred didn’t say anything, he never did and really it was just two beers... for now. They both went into the lounger together and sat on the sofa. Harry sat with his feet across Fred's lap and took a sip of his beer whilst Fred affectionately stroked Harry’s leg. Usually they did this the other way round but this was nice too. 

They sat in comfortable silence for a while until Harry broke it. “He’s on my list you know.”

Fred just nodded. “Yes, I thought he would be.”

“So what do I do?” Harry asked, sighing before elaborating. “I need to talk to him about the book, I can’t write it without his permission, that would be wrong. At first I was worried that I didn’t even know how to find him and now I know exactly where he is but he doesn’t know that I know! Now I’m worried that he’s so private there’s no way in hell he’s going to let me write the book!”

Fred was looking serious once again and was twitching a bit like he always did when he was nervous. “I really don’t know Harry.” 

Then George came into the room having obviously finished in the kitchen. He sat in the armchair but didn’t relax fully, instead he sat forward in the chair and looked at Harry.

“I heard from the kitchen, what about the Greengrass girl?” George asked.

“What about her?” Harry said frowning, not quite there yet. Sometimes he could be a bit slow.

“Well you said you liked her, seemed like maybe you could talk to her? She must know Draco well and maybe she could advise you?” George said simply.

“Oh, right, yeah.” Harry said catching up to George’s thought process. “That could work you know.” He said slowly nodding. “Thanks.”

“Anytime.” George said satisfied and relaxing back into his chair. 

“So we’ve been thinking about some more games for the shop. Wanna help us test some?!” George said with a grin.

“I’m not sure… do I?” Harry asked with a nervous smile.

Fred perked up at his. “Yes you do! Come on Harry you’ll love “No-Clue-Though!” It’s based on the muggle game cluedo but at Hogwarts and you’re in it!”

Harry groaned. “You guys promised you wouldn’t put me in any more of your products!”

“Yeh we lied!” The twins both said grinning.

Harry threw a cushion at George and slapped Fred on the shoulder. 

George dodged the cushion which landed on the floor. “Not our fault you’re such a bestseller Potter!”

“At least tell me Ron is in this one and I can laugh at him.” Harry said, withdrawing his legs from Fred and sitting up.

“Of course he is!” Said Fred summoning a brightly coloured box from George’s open bedroom door whilst he carried on talking. “When we played it was Ron in Moaning Myrtle’s bathroom with a Mandrake!” 

*~*

Harry was starting to get a bit of a routine now that he was enjoying being a man of leisure. If it was up to him he’d probably just make last minute plans with people but others needed to have a routine and had other things going on in their life. He’d agreed with Dromeda and Teddy’s school that he would pick him up every Wednesday from now on and it was great to know he’d have some more time with his godson. Dromeda, as it turned out as more than happy to share some of the parenting responsibilities. 

This week she took the opportunity to have a rare night out with Molly as they were both free of grandchildren. Harry took Teddy to the park again but fortunately there was no paparazzi this time round. Then they went back to Dromeda’s where Harry tried very hard to help Teddy with his homework and then he made him dinner. It wasn’t really cooking, he just reheated what Dromeda had made the night before but he was thinking he should probably cook next time. 

Harry liked cooking and mostly cooked at the weekend at Fred and George’s but he’d always been too lazy after work in the past and it always offended Kreacher when he cooked at home. He loved his evening with Teddy and promised it would indeed be a weekly thing from now on. His favourite thing was telling Teddy the story of the Marauders again as they cuddled up in bed. He stayed whilst Teddy slept until Dromeda came back as he had assured her that she deserved to go out and have a nice time. 

Having had a brief opportunity to chat to Andromeda about the book and get her blessing, Harry knew he needed to talk to Molly too so he popped over to the Burrow on Thursday afternoon. He was wearing his flying gear as he knew Molly would let him fly there whenever he wanted and he could use it as his daily workout. She was of course happy to see him and he loved his time flying. Rose was being looked after by Hermione’s parents today but Dominique was running around squealing excitedly as she watched Harry fly. She wasn’t old enough to go to school with Victoire. 

Afterwards Molly had fussed over him with some pumpkin juice and biscuits and he’d spoken to her about everything. They talked for a lot longer than he intended but it had been quite cathartic. They’d spoken about Percy again which Harry had been nervous about because no one ever really spoke about him but he found that Molly was more than happy to talk about her son. Molly also seemed to think that it wasn’t necessarily healthy or normal for Harry to repress everything that had happened during the war and confess she had worried about him being so busy with the aurors over the years and giving his life to the Ministry.  
She seemed concerned about what would happen now he was starting to explore and remember it all but she said she would always be there for him. Even though he would check with all the Weasleys individually, Molly assured him that they would all be happy for him to write whatever he needed to and they would always support him for which Harry was very grateful.

He stayed until Fleur came to pick Victorine up and asked very politely if he could come back to Shell Cottage and talk to her as well as Bill when he came home. She had been surprised but agreed very enthusiastically and told Harry that he simply must stay for dinner. Harry agreed because he knew how good Fleur’s cooking was now. 

Shell Cottage was just as beautiful as ever and Harry found it incredibly peaceful. He hadn’t been here in years but he took the opportunity to visit Dobby’s grave and promise him he would definitely be honoured in his book. Harry played with the girls whilst Fleur cooked and it was really fun. He had offered to help Fleur of course but she said that cooking was much easier than looking after the girls so she was happy to do it. When Bill came home he was happy to see Harry and it was a really lovely evening. Both Bill and Fleur were both happy about the book too and Harry was really encouraged with now many good responses he was getting. 

Thursday evening he wrote to Ginny and Charlie asking when they would be around for a chat as he had no idea where Ginny was training this week and Charlie lived and worked in a dragon reserve in Wales now as it was much closer to home. He always came to family lunches at the Burrow on Sundays but he liked the idea of having individual chats. He was really trying to make more time for everyone now. 

Ginny floo him at home an hour later and they had a really nice chat. Charlie wrote back too and invited him over to the reserve where he also lived in the morning. Harry had visited the reserve a couple of times before but not for ages and he had a great time. He always loved seeing the dragons, they were so special and the welsh greens were particularly beautiful. They walked around the reserve and had a great chat, Charlie was always good company and was easy going like the other Weasleys. 

After a short break at home Friday afternoon, he arrived to Ron and Hermione’s in time for a cuddle with Rose before her bedtime. Harry read to her and snuggled her to sleep thinking about how much he actually loved spending time with children. Once she was safely asleep in her cot Harry went down to have dinner with his two best friends. He liked this new Friday night tradition and they agreed they would make it a weekly thing too. Ron said he was really missing Harry at work which made Harry feel a bit guilty but both Ron and Hermione said they could tell Harry was happier already. 

Hermione was very pleased that Harry was going ahead with the book and told him that she would happily help even though Harry knew how busy she was. Ron didn’t really seem to get it but Harry didn’t expect him too, she just shrugged and said that Harry had better make him look good! Unlike Harry Ron loved being a famous war hero even though he was less keen about it when Harry informed him of the twin’s latest game. Hermione listed lots of books about writing and giving him tips which Ron started rolling his eyes at. “The poor man had already got to write a book and now you want him to read a load too! Give him a break Mione!” 

After Hermione had gone to bed Ron convinced Harry to stay up and make their way through a bottle of firewhiskey. Ron was telling him all the stories from work and the office gossip. They hadn’t got drunk just the two of them in years and it was fun just to be Harry and Ron again. Harry found he actually enjoyed hearing all the Ministry shenanigans now that he wasn’t a part of it. He could laugh at it all now knowing it wouldn’t affect him so he didn’t have to worry about it. Ron was laughing too as he never really let things affect him. Harry was too drunk to floo home and ended up just crashing on the sofa. 

Between all the socialising Harry was quite busy and needed some time out so he had actually spent all the other nights alone at Grimmauld Place that week but he knew Fred didn’t mind. Saturday, after a hangover potion, he spent a rare lazy morning at home watching TV and then he started getting nervous about his evening plans so he went to Fred and George’s that afternoon as he knew they would entertain him and keep him distracted. He didn’t really miss Fred when they spent time apart, it wasn’t like that but it was still nice to see him. Fred hadn’t missed him emotionally but he still dragged Harry into the bedroom as if he had been sex deprived for months. Harry didn’t mind though, sex with Fred was always good even if his own sex drive wasn’t nearly as high and it definitely distracted him for a while. 

Apparently though Fred still hadn’t had enough as he said he was going out tonight even though he insisted it was mostly for George’s benefit. Fred said he wanted to get George laid but Harry was already betting that it would be Fred and not George waking up in someone else’s bed tomorrow. Fred was just much more confident than George. Even though it rarely showed, anyone who knew him really well knew George was ever so slightly quieter and more shy than his outgoing twin. Harry went back home to get ready for his rare evening out.

He’d taken George’s advice and been brave, writing to Daphne and asking her if she could possibly like to go to dinner with him on a platonic date careful to make it clear it was just with friendship in mind. It was bold as he’d only met her twice not many people rejected a dinner invite from Harry Potter; even if he hated it sometimes it worked to his advantage. She had written back with a keen acceptance and even suggested a restaurant as Harry admitted he didn’t go out much. Harry had booked it and asked the restaurateur if he could come in the back way as he often did. 

*~*

He got to the restaurant just before seven and was impressed that a staff member was waiting out the back to meet him and took him to a chef’s table in the kitchen so they could eat in private and also see the food being made. It was a really nice table, and the kitchen was very impressive. Harry had never been here before but he thanked the head chef who came over to meet him and told him truthfully that he already wanted to come back.

Daphne came into the kitchen escorted by the maître d’ looking very pretty indeed. Her long glossy yellow-blonde hair which Harry had only seen up in an elegant bun in the shop, was now flowing freely in soft waves around her face and down her back. She was wearing a very autumnal looking burgundy fitted pencil dress that hugged her petite frame beautifully. It had long sleeves and came down to her mid thigh. Her look was classic and simple but no doubt elegant and it suited her. Harry got up to greet her, pressing his cheek to her in a formal kiss, he might not go out a lot but he still had manners. She turned her cheek to accept his greeting and placed a delicate hand on his arm showing off her beautifully manicured nails. 

“Evening Miss Greengrass, you look lovely.” Harry said politely. 

“I thought I told you to call me Daphne, Auror Potter.” She said flashing a smile at him.

“I just didn’t want to forget my manners, but in that case please call me Harry.” He smiled back at her.

“Very well Harry, thank you so much for the dinner invitation. It did take me by surprise I have to admit but of course I would never refuse.” Daphne said still with a flirtatious hand on his arm. He was suddenly a bit worried that he hadn’t made it clear enough that this wasn’t a date, he’d have to be careful.

Harry took a careful step back and gestured to the table. “Shall we?” 

Daphne smiled again and elegantly sat down at the table. “I hope you like my choice of restaurant.” She said as she sat.

“I am impressed so far. I hope you don’t mind a chef’s table but I’m afraid I don’t really like being in the public eye. I guarantee you that otherwise you would be on the front page of The Prophet tomorrow and they would probably be distasteful about that fact that you moved on from Malfoy quickly and you’re dating me now or something. I wouldn’t want that for you.” Harry said honestly and slightly awkwardly.

“I understand completely Harry but I wouldn’t have worried.” Daphne said and the corner of her mouth turned up in a small sly smile. “Being caught out with you would do wonders for my dating life I’m sure! Besides, this is a very exclusive restaurant you know, being at the chef’s table is an honour I’ll be sure to tell all my friends about!” 

Just then the head chef came back over to the table and introduced himself to Daphne too. He spoke to them for a bit and asked them if they wanted to order off the menu or if they were happy to be brought chef’s recommendations.

Daphne glanced over to Harry but he gave a kind of half shrug.

“We would be happy to receive your recommendations Chef Boucher.” Daphne said to the chef with a dashing smile. “I take it that each course comes with a wine pairing too?” She asked confidently.

“Of course Mademoiselle.” The chef said in a thick French accent. “I shall be honoured to serve you both myself.”

The chef waved his wand that he had tucked into his chef’s jacket and a bread basket plus a bowl of olives floated over to the table. Then he summoned a bottle of white wine and opened it. 

“Would Monsieur like to try ze wine?” He asked, turning to Harry.

Harry felt a bit out of his depth, he’d never been in a restaurant this fancy and was beginning to regret going with Daphne’s recommendation but he usually went to muggle restaurants and he wasn’t sure if she would like that or not. 

“Erm, I’m sure it’s fine.” He said slightly embarrassed.

“Très bien.” The chef said even though Harry had no idea what that meant but it must have been some sort of acceptance as with another wave of his wand the chef poured them both a glass of white wine. Then he bowed and went away back into the mix of other chefs and started commanding the kitchen once more. 

Harry noticed that Daphne was looking at him clearly amused.

“Sorry” He muttered and then cleared his throat and spoke a bit clearly. “I, er, told you that I don’t go out a lot and I’ve never been to a fancy french restaurant.” 

“Nothing to apologise for Harry, I’m enjoying myself immensely already.” Daphne said with a twinkle in her eye as she picked up her wine glass and took a delicate sip.

Harry thought he might need a hit of alcohol even though he’d had a glass of scotch for dutch courage before he left the house. There was a lot of wine in the cellar at Grimmauld so he did drink it on occasion but he usually knocked it back without really tasting it. This wine was really good though, so smooth and crisp it was quite dry but it went nicely with the olives that he also tried.

Daphne was clearly observing him and waiting for him to speak, after all he had invited her. He cleared his throat again carefully.

“Daphne, I just wanted to clarify, erm, that is I, erm” He took a short breath to stop his nervous speech pattern and spoke again with more confidence. “I found myself enjoying your company in the brief conversations we had in the shop and I would like to get to know you more but it would only be as friends, this is not a date.” He said it softly with a smile hoping she wouldn’t be offended. 

She didn’t show any sign of surprise, her face was just showing a mild curiosity. “I believe you made that clear in your invitation Harry, should I be offended that you’re so certain you don’t want to date me that you have to bring it up again?” 

Harry took another look at her but she certainly didn’t seem offended. “Sorry for bringing it up again, I’m just not always good with words and I value honesty a lot. I like to know where I stand with people I guess and want them to know where they stand with me.” 

He said seriously and then took another sip of the wine that was really growing on him and spoke again with a smile. “Truthfully Daphne, when I saw you the other day I couldn’t help but think if I was interested in women then I would have definitely asked you out for a date. As it happens I am not.”

Daphne seemed very satisfied with his answer and she flashed him the biggest smile so far. “I did wonder, but I wasn’t sure. There have been rumours in Witch Weekly about you being gay but then they also seem to find witch after witch that you might be secretly engaged to so one can never tell.” 

Harry laughed at that. “Yes well that suits me fine. They’re always taking random guesses, I’ve heard it all before.” He said with his usual half shrug and passed the olives back to Daphne as he broke off some bread and spread it with the salted butter.

“Well on behalf of all women everywhere it is a shame but you’re secret's safe with me.” Daphne said with a kind look.

“Thanks.” Harry said. “I mean it’s not really a secret.” He added with an afterthought. “All the important people in my life know and quite a few people at the Ministry worked it out. I don’t necessarily tell people but I never deny it either.” 

He sighed twirling his wine glass in his hand. “It’s a fine balance you know? I don’t want to hide it. I want others to know that it’s ok to be yourself but I also just don’t think it should be a big deal. I didn’t want to do a big show and dance and publicly come out. I guess I’m just quite a private person at the end of the day and I don’t really like the public knowing anything about me.” 

He then started worrying that he’d got a bit too serious too quickly so he took another sip of wine and then smiled. “So I guess what I’m saying is you can tell people if you want just maybe don’t sell the story to Witch Weekly.”

“Ah such a shame, I have already promised them an exclusive on our ‘not-a-date’ date.” She said with a smile.

Harry did like people with a sense of humour, he realised that was important to him as it always made him relax. 

Just then Chef Bouchard came over to serve their starter which turned out to be a luxury chicken liver pâté. The Chef spoke to them for a couple of minutes about the dish and the ingredients and poured a small glass of red. He had told them what it was and how it paired with the dish but it went right over Harry’s head.

After he left Daphne was the first to speak after they had both taken a sip of the red wine.

“So Harry, forgive me for being so bold but is there a special man in your life?” She asked casually, spreading some of her pâté on the toast and then taking a bite.

“Erm, kind of but not not really...” Harry said awkwardly not really sure if that was the right answer or not. 

Fred was special to him, of course he was but they’d agreed that they weren’t boyfriends and that they weren’t exclusive, even though Harry hadn’t slept with anyone else for nearly four years now. At first Fred had constantly been trying to get Harry to still go on dates, he said he was never going to find a husband if he didn't but Harry just didn’t really know where to start and after a while they’d just got comfortable with their arrangement. It wasn’t exactly what Harry wanted but it was easy. He tried to tell himself that he was still so young and that he there was time to find a husband and the father of his future children but more often than not he found that picture of his future that he once had was slowly slipping away and becoming fuzzier rather than clearer. 

Harry realised that he’d been off in his thoughts and had sighed out loud. He looked over at Daphne and found her looking at him with a raised curious eyebrow. Before Harry had even decided whether it was a good idea or not he just found himself elaborating and being honest, there was something about Daphne that brought it out of him. 

“I have a… friend, who is, well, he’s amazing really, he’s always… there for me but he’s not my boyfriend or anything.” Harry spoke not looking at Daphne but concentrating on spreading his own pâté.

“Is that what you want?” She asked in such a kind sweet way that Harry couldn’t deny her an answer.

“No.” He said quietly, taking another bite of his starter and thinking of all the time he’d spent with children this week and how happy Bill and Fleur and Hermione and Ron were. 

He shook his head to get rid of his thoughts and gave a low chuckle at Daphne who was just finishing her pâté. “How is it that I barely know you yet I find myself answering all your questions honestly?!” He said to Daphne with a smile.

“I’m a Slytherin Harry.” She said with her signature mischievous grin. “We’re not evil you know, I’d like to think that I have a good heart, but we do have our ways of getting what we want... including the truth.” 

“I can see that!” Harry laughed again and nodded. “And by the way I don’t think that all Slytherins are evil.” He said as a serious afterthought before finishing his starter and picking up his red wine again.

“Glad to hear it.” She said simply.

As they both finished off their glass of red wine Harry spoke again.

“So how are you with giving honesty?” He asked casually.

“That depends.” She said with a small smile. “But you can ask me anything Harry, if I don’t want to answer then I won’t.” 

“That’s fair.” Harry said politely. 

“So what do you want to know?” She asked.

“Well, you asked about my love life, it’s only fair…” He trailed off with a smile.

She finished off the small glass of red delicately before dabbing her mouth with a napkin. “Are you asking about the nature of my engagement or what my status is now?” She smiled sweetly.

“Anything you want to tell me I suppose.” He said, casually finishing off his wine too.

The Chef looked over from the middle of the kitchen and vanished their empty plates and glasses. A minute later he appeared with two floating plates and two more glasses of wine, white again this time. He talked to them about the fish course and how this wine paired with it. Harry thought honestly that he couldn’t really taste the difference between this wine and the last one but he trusted the chef’s word for it that it complemented the small seafood dish.

After the chef left Daphne took a small bite and then took a sip of wine after she swallowed before addressing Harry again.

“I would tell you all about my engagement to Draco honestly but it’s not really my story to tell. I hope that maybe we can all become friends and he can tell you about it one day.” She said seriously and Harry was pleased she was choosing to be honest with him on some level even though it was slightly cryptic. “However, I can tell you that I am perfectly happy and that Draco and I are honestly still best friends.” 

She took another sip as Harry continued to eat. Seafood wasn’t really something he ever ate and it wasn’t his favorite but it was nice. Luckily he wasn’t a fussy eater. 

“So I suppose I am single which I am content with for the moment but I would be lying if I said I didn’t hope to get married properly one day.” Daphne finished.

Harry thought there might be a flicker of sadness in her voice. He thought that she must be being honest about Malfoy (or maybe he wasn’t Malfoy anymore, that was still confusing to him) and she didn’t seem recently heartbroken. Maybe there was someone else a while back.

He was still deciding what to say whilst finishing his mouthful but then she spoke again. “My younger sister is happily engaged, it’s very annoying.” Daphne said but she was smiling and there was no hint of bitterness there.

Harry smiled. “I have no doubt that you will find someone to make you happy one day and he will be a very lucky man.”

“The same back to you Harry.” She said kindly.

Harry laughed and held up his glass. “Cheers to finding a good husband.”

She smiled and raised her glass in the air too with a nod to acknowledge his toast.

Harry was drinking his wine and finishing his seafood debating whether or not to say the next thing on his mind. Daphne had been receptive to him so far though so he decided to go for it.

“I’m sure you could get a date on your own but I do have a single friend that I think could possibly be good for you.” He said slowly. “Although I’m not sure if I’m a good match making, I’ve never set anyone up before and he might not be fancy enough for you…” He trailed off awkardly suddenly thinking he shouldn’t have brought it up. He couldn’t imagine George sitting her in a fancy restaurant with her. 

Daphne gave an easy carefree laugh that Harry liked. Daphne obviously had a good upbringing and liked the finer things in life but then she wasn’t stiff or overly formal and didn’t seem like a snob. 

“I’ll take that as a compliment Harry but you should know I’ve really gone off posh boys.” She took another sip of wine before leaning forward slightly in her seat. “They’re all the same and it’s really rather boring. I want someone adventurous, someone who can really make me laugh. A man who can keep up with me with my witty conversation but challenge me at the same time not someone who spends three hours talking about fine wine and trying to impress me with the latest fashionable handbag. Don’t get me wrong I do like to be spoiled but I want someone to really look after me not just buy me expensive impersonal stuff. The typical pure-blood man is Astoria’s type not mine”

Well that was good news, Harry thought, maybe it could work after all. Daphne looked like she was trying to read Harry’s mind and then she spoke again. “You know, I think I’ve rather exhausted my circle of acquaintances. I’d be very interested to see who Harry Potter might set me up with, you’re not like anyone I know.”

“Erm, is that a compliment?!” He laughed.

“Yes, I do believe it is.” She smiled. “Now tell me about this friend of yours.”

“Well, he’s certainly got a sense of humour and I thought of him for you because you seem to have a bit of a mischievous side which he definitely does, he’s a bit of a prankster. He’s certainly witty in conversation; he could give you a run for your money I think.” He said with a fond smile.

He took another sip of wine whilst Daphne finished her fish course and was waiting for him to continue. “He does have a serious side too though. People underestimate him as he’s not clever in an academic sense but he is talented with what he does. He’s driven and very passionate about his business which he built up from scratch from a young age. He pretends he doesn’t care about stuff and brushes things off but he’s more caring and sensitive than he lets on. He’s been single for a while as people just don’t really understand him or his… family, and he laughs it off pretending to be a bit of a ladies man but deep down I know he just wants to find someone special and when he does he would do anything for her. He’s sweet really even though he would deny it. He does have money, he’s done well for himself but you wouldn’t really know it. He never buys himself flashy stuff and lives in a modest way but he’s always buying small gifts for people for no reason. He’s a real family man and dotes on his nieces and nephews.”

Daphne took a deep breath and she had a mild flush on her cheeks. “Well he sounds like quite a man. Are you sure you’re not in love with him?” She asked with a smile.

“Haha no!” Harry laughed. “I don’t see him like that and he’s definitely straight. He’s like family to me though, I do care about him a lot.”

“You must be very close.” Daphne said slowly, clearly thinking about something. Then she spoke again in the quietest most serious voice that Harry had heard from her. “Did he fight, in- in the war?” 

Harry swallowed thickly and then nodded. He took a deep breath and attempted to lighten the mood somewhat. “He, er, actually has a pretty obvious war wound. He likes to show it off and joke about how he lost an ear to save the famous Harry Potter but I think he’s still a little insecure about it. I think he worries about it making him ugly but he’s not.”

“Hmm.” Daphne smiled softly and then carried on to break the slight tension. “I do quite fancy myself with a war hero.”

Their finished plates and glasses were vanished again as Daphne said. “So come on then, are you going to tell me his name?”

“Erm, well that was the bit that I was worried about honestly.” Harry said carefully.

Daphne raised an eyebrow. “Oh so I would know him then, or know of him.”

“Er, yes maybe given that you have to look at his bright shop opposite you every day.” Harry laughed nervously.

“Oh.” Daphne said blinking in surprise. “He’s one of the Weasley twins?”

Harry eyed her carefully. She definitely was a little taken back but she didn’t seem disgusted or anything. She seemed more curious than anything.

“Yes, George.” He said. 

“And he’s particularly different to the other one?” Daphne said amused.

“Yes!” Harry said laughing but then turned slightly more serious. “Honestly, I think that’s what freaks people out and stops him from turning a date into a relationship. Girls never seem to understand the twin thing but they’re still individual people! I should know I mean when I’m with Fred I don’t-” Harry had spoken quickly that he suddenly stopped himself at what he’d just said.

“Ah!” Daphne said smiling cheekily. “So your friend you mentioned earlier is the other twin? That’s why you’re at their shop, or their flat I suppose, so often?” 

“Erm, yes… suppose there’s no point denying it.” Harry said, slightly embarrassed.

“It’s fine Harry, no judgement here. I can understand why it might be hard for you to date.” She said sincerely. 

Just then the Chef wandered back over to the table with their main course which was beef something or other than Harry didn’t understand. He waffled on for a moment with the usual wine pairing but Harry was just thinking and not really paying attention. He smiled politely at the chef though as he left. 

Daphne was smiling too as she picked up the fresh glass of wine, red again this time. After she took a sip she seemed to have made her mind up.

“I must say Harry. I am very intrigued. If Mr. Weasley is agreeable then please feel free to set us up. Perhaps I could even find someone for you if you want to date.” She said with that mischievous twinkle in her eye again that told Harry she had a plan.

Harry felt nervous though. Did he want to date? He tucked into his beef to give him an excuse to think and not talk for a moment.

This week, hell this dinner had thrown a lot of things in his face again that he hadn’t thought about for a while. He really liked his time with Fred but maybe it wasn’t the right thing for him anymore. The thought of not having Fred to turn to when he needed him made him really scared and a bit sad. He didn’t really want to ‘break up’ with Fred but then he’d been forced to admit once again that he did actually want a proper boyfriend. 

Someone who he could actually go on dates with, someone who could really love him the way he craved and who he could love back. Fred liked sex and physical affection but he got a bit uncomfortable with anything too ‘relationshipy’. Harry couldn’t buy him gifts and spoil him in the way he wanted to with a boyfriend. He could tell him how much he loved him because it wouldn’t be true but he desperately wanted to have someone to say that to. 

He sighed again and put down his fork. The beef was really nice, his favourite thing of the night so far but he wasn’t used to this many courses and he already felt full. 

“I know what I want but I just have no idea how to get it.” He said quietly wondering again why he was being so honest with someone he barely knew. Somehow it was easier though. He’s had so many great conversations with the Weasleys this week but they all kind of knew about him and Fred even though they didn’t really understand what it was so he couldn’t really talk to them about this.

Daphne seemed to read his mind and she reached over the table to give Harry’s hand a gentle squeeze. She didn’t linger though and spoke again as she withdrew her hand.

“I know we don’t know each other well but I like you Harry and I’m actually quite good at this sort of thing. I could help you if you let me, sometimes it’s easier to talk to someone outside of the situation.” She said gently.

Harry realised already that she was right. Strangely this was turning out to be his favourite conversation of the week and he could almost see himself chatting to Daphne all the time. There was something else that he did need to talk to her about though.

He laughed a little. “You know there was actually a reason why I invited you here tonight, I did want to talk to you about something but this wasn’t it. I didn’t see this coming but now we’re here maybe it would be nice to talk about this…” He trailed off and then frowned. “Did that even make sense?” 

She smiled at him. “It’s still early Harry and I have nowhere else to be. You can talk to me about whatever you like, we have time.”

Harry took a deep breath then. “Ok.” He said quietly. “But just remind me later that there was a reason for this dinner!” 

“I shall.” She said smiling and took another sip of his wine indicating he should continue.

“My arrangement with Fred isn’t really what I want, what I thought I would have, but it is nice… With Fred I know I’ll never get hurt, I’ll always have someone who will listen to me and he never judges, ever, I can cry, I can get angry, I can get drunk and throw stuff, or I can be happy and dance around like an idiot, it doesn’t matter, he’s always there and he always knows exactly what I want or what I need at the time, I’m lucky to have that and I don’t want to give it up… I don’t want to be alone…”

He paused and took a much larger gulp of wine before getting himself together and carried on. Daphne was just listening patiently. 

“I care about him a lot but I don’t love him, not in that way, I don’t know why… Sometimes I try to convince myself that I do, sometimes I’ve thought about whether we could make a proper go of it, it would be so much easier in a way but I suggested it once and he said it’s not what either one of us really wants and he’s right. Fred never wants to get married and he definitely doesn’t want to be a dad but I do… He’s absolutely certain of it and he won’t change his mind. I don’t even think he could ever be in a true exclusive relationship, it’s just not who he is. He’s bi and he, erm, has quite, erm, adventurous tastes but weirdly I never get jealous even though monogamy is actually quite important to me, it’s strange, we really don’t belong together!” 

He huffed and shook his head in disbelief, he hadn’t really analysed his relationship with Fred for ages and saying it out loud he was aware of how stupid it all sounded. How did he get here?! “I know if I really loved someone I could never share them… and I want love, I guess...” He said quietly nervously twirling the stemmed glass in his hand again. 

“That all makes a lot of sense Harry.” Daphne said quietly.

Harry blinked in surprise. “It does?” I was just thinking it doesn’t make any sense at all!” He laughed.

“I think I understand Fred; he sounds exactly like my best friend. Forgive me if I’m overstepping here but I think I should tell it to you how I see it.” She said boldly.

“Please do.” Harry said genuinely intrigued as to how this mess of a relationship sounded to her.

“I think that you were worried about dating because of who you are. You don’t like the publicity that much is obvious so your fame does complicate matters but also to be honest you do seem a bit clueless in the relationship department and clearly out of place with going out.” She smiled and gestured to their fancy surroundings and Harry laughed. 

“So you found Fred, someone who already knows you and who happens to also like men as well as women and made yourself a substitute for a relationship because it was easier. You probably told yourself that it was temporary so it didn’t matter and that you would find someone else eventually but how long ago was that?” 

She didn’t wait for him to answer before she carried on. 

“Now it’s just become comfortable, it’s what you know and even though you’re not happy, you're not sad either so you tell yourself that it’s what you want. I also think that over time you’ve just stopped looking for what you actually want because you’re scared of not finding it. It seems like as you’re not exclusive you could still go on dates to try and find what you really want whilst maintaining this arrangement with Fred, that would really be the best of both worlds and maybe people would love to be in that position, but I think that you’re not taking advantage of it because you’re actually really uncomfortable with being in an open relationship. You don’t mind that Fred goes out with others because you don’t really have to think about it but if you want out on a date you’d think that you were cheating on Fred somehow even if he knew about it and would be fine with it.”

She sat back looking very satisfied with herself and taking another sip of wine. Both their beef dishes were almost untouched and just sat there between them getting cold but neither one of them seemed to mind. 

Harry reached for his half drunk red wine and gulped the rest of it down in one go not caring if it was a bit uncouth of him. He finished and took a deep breath before letting out a long low laugh.

“Wow.” He said shaking his head in disbelief again. “I do believe you are right.”

“Oh I am most definitely right.” She said confidently with a smile.

*~*

By the time they’d finished their main course Harry was stuffed and was a bit worried about how many courses there might be left but he still hadn’t even said what he’d come here to say. He was enjoying Daphne’s company but the conversation was a lot deeper than he’d expected it to be.

Harry cleared his throat and spoke to Daphne again as their plates were magically cleared. “How many more courses were there? Is it just dessert now?”

“Dessert and then the cheese course.” She answered straight away.

“Oh!” Harry said simply. “Sorry, I didn’t even realise, wasn’t expecting the fish course to be honest. I er, usually only have two courses if I go out, but er- I’ll try and find space!.” He said awkwardly.

“No problem Harry.” She said simply and called the Chef over. She took charge of the situation in a very polite and assertive way. She asked if they could have a bit of a break before dessert and also asked for the cheese course to be boxed up for takeaway.

“So where were we?” Daphne said, picking up her wine glass again.

Harry was actually surprised at how sober she seemed still, he was used to drinking and it did take a lot to get him drunk, only an awful lot of firewhiskey worked like last night! 

“Erm I was hoping you were able to tell me what I should do in my disaster of a dating life!” Harry said.

“Well that’s simple!” Daphne said quickly and confidently.

“It is?” Harry blinked in surprise. “I’m glad you think so!”

“Harry” Daphne said gently in a way that let him know she was serious in what she was about to say. “I’m hoping you still want me to be honest, you’ve responded well to it so far.” She trailed off waiting for his confirmation.

“Hit me with it, be brutal it’s fine.” He replied knowing that she would be. 

Daphne had paused to allow him to collect her thoughts and then she did indeed ‘hit him with it’. “Well I don’t think you’ll find what you’re looking for if you stay with Fred. You need to break it off with Fred properly and then in your mind you will be properly single which at the moment you’re not because you still feel like you’re in a relationship with him no matter what the arrangement is. You couldn’t even answer me earlier when I asked you if you were single.”

As she was speaking Harry got a rise of panic in him. He really didn’t want to stop what he had with Fred, he wasn’t sure if he could do it but logically he knew she was making sense.

“Finding love is risky Harry, it is! It’s messy and it’s hard and it takes time! You might even get heartbroken… but you might also get everything you’ve ever wanted. I think you need to get hold of that bravery that Gryffindors are always bangning on about and take that risk.” 

She reached out again and gently laid her hand over the top of his. She didn’t squeeze this time but she kept it there and Harry found just having that light pressure of physical contact automatically soothed him.

They stayed like that for a minute as Daphne allowed her words to sink in and then she withdrew her hand. Harry took another sip of wine just to have something to do with that hand again.

“I, erm, I really didn’t expect this tonight, It’s not why I invited you at all, but erm, well you’ve given me a lot to think about I guess, I think I needed it so thank you.” He said sincerely.

“You’re most welcome Harry. I am very impressed by you, not the Harry Potter saviour of the world but just you, Harry. You’re a good guy and you’re nothing like I thought you would be.” She said, giving him that curious look again. 

“Erm, thanks.” He said laughing. “You actually have no idea how much that means to me.”

“I think maybe I do.” She said confidently.

Harry chuckled again. “So you have me all worked out now?” 

“Yes.” She said simply. 

“You got any single gay male friends who could cope with my messed up head?!” He joked.

“Yes I think I might.” She said in a very straightforward way.

“Oh.” Harry said in mild surprise.“I wasn’t expecting that answer.” 

Daphne didn’t elaborate like Harry thought she might and he was just looking at her trying to work out what was going on in her head.

“Are you going to tell me about him?” He asked with a raised eyebrow.

Daphne just gave him a craft smile and said one word. “No.” 

Harry frowned at her. “Why not?! That’s not fair. I told you all about your potential future husband!”

“The circumstances are completely different.” She said stubbornly. 

Harry opened his mouth to argue but she held up her hand to him and carried on. “I am ready to meet him, you are not.”

Harry shut his mouth again wanting to be cross with her for her words which were a bit harsh but then also thinking she’s been right so far.

Daphne looked at him softly and when she spoke again her tone was kinder. “Take some time Harry, think about what you want, talk to Fred, talk to your friends if you want, go out have fun, be who you want to be. In the meantime let’s do this again I am enjoying your company immensely. When I think you’re ready then I’ll tell you about him.”

Harry processed her words again and nodded slowly. “OK, that’s fair.”

Just then the chef came over with a couple of beautiful white boxes with an ornate gold trim on them and laid them on a side table next to them saying he’d packaged up the cheese course plus some more of the chef’s favourites for them to take home. Then he presented them with a simple but elegant small crème brûlée and dessert wine.  
When the chef had left Daphne was eyeing up the boxes happily. 

“Draco will be most pleased, this is his favourite restaurant so I think I’ll give him the leftovers.” She said brightly before starting on her dessert.

“Oh, er, good.” Harry said before gathering himself and remembering why he came. “He’s actually the reason why I asked you to dinner.” He said casually, taking a sip of his dessert wine. It was a bit too sweet for him but it was alcohol so he drank it anyway.

“You invited me out to talk about Draco?” She said clearly, slightly amused.

“Er yes, does that surprise you?” He asked slightly nervously.

There was that twinkle in her eye again. “No, not in the slightest.” 

“OK… well I’m not really sure how to say it.” Harry said slowly and mildly awkwardly.

“We’ve been pretty virtually honest with each other this evening Harry, just say it.” Daphne said stubbornly but not in an annoyed way.

“Ok.” Harry said simply sitting up and gathering his confidence. “Well I know that Pierre is Draco and I actually need to talk to him about something really important but I don’t know how to approach him. I honestly don’t want to cause any trouble for him, I completely respect his desire for privacy and I can see how much his business means to him. I just want to talk to him but I don’t want him to freak out about the fact that I know where to find him.” 

Harry sighed as he realised he was rambling. “Do I just tell Pierre that I know he’s Draco or will he panic and hex me?!”

Daphne didn’t seem surprised by any of this and was considering something. Harry let her think for a moment as he finally started eating his dessert. He could practically see the cogs turning in her mind.

“Do you have plans to meet him again? There isn’t anything in the diary I assumed he was sending your gift directly to the recipient.”

“I’m picking it up from him Monday evening after the shop closes. I need to be at the Burrow for seven but yeah I was hoping to talk to Draco first and I’m not sure how long it will take so I was going to come sometime around half five?” Harry said.

Daphne thought for a moment again.

“Let me talk to him and then come over at half five. I’ll tell him you know and convince him to stay as Draco. He will definitely panic but he’ll never forgive me if he finds out I knew and I didn’t give him a heads up. He hates losing his cool in front of other people but I know how to handle him.”

“Ok.” Harry said thinking it over too. “If you’re sure you don’t mind then that could definitely work. Just, erm, be sure to let him know that it was me who worked it out please. I don’t want him to think that the twins betrayed him or anything because they definitely didn’t.”

“Of course.” Daphne said politely. “If you need some sort of impartial third party then I would be happy to stay while you talk to him? Obviously if you can’t say it in front of me then that’s fine too.”

“Erm, no I can. That, erm, that would be good I think, if it’s not too much to ask.” Harry said carefully.

Harry felt like he needed to elaborate but he didn’t want to go into the whole book thing here. He was eager to get home now really, he was emotionally exhausted and had a lot to think about. 

“I just want you to know that I don’t hold any grudge against him now and I would never do anything to hurt him intentionally. I’m just trying to move on now and live my life. I guess that ties in to what you said earlier. I, erm, have a lot of thinking to do about my future but also my past and Malfoy, erm, sorry, er- Draco? is a large part of my past. I just can’t do what I need to do without talking to him first that’s all.” He sighed feeling tired and hoping it made sense.

Daphne was smiling softly at him now and was looking less concerned. “I see.” She said. “Well I think that’s wise, it will probably be good for both of you but it might not be an easy conversation.” 

Harry nodded his exhaustion coming over him and feeling slightly tipsy all of a sudden as he finished his dessert wine unable to find his words.

Daphne smiled at him softly again. “It’s been a long evening Harry. Go home and get some rest.”

Harry nodded again and waved the chef over. He settled the bill wordlessly while Daphne chatted away to the chef meaning he didn’t need to. Harry picked up both the white boxes and gestured to Daphne to go first as the chef led them out of the kitchen the back way into the side street that Harry had come in on. 

“Well this has been a very pleasant evening Harry. Please let’s do it again.” Daphne said politely with a delicate hand on his arm again.

“Yes let’s.” Harry said smiling. “Will you be OK getting home?” He asked sincerely.

“Thank you for your concern but I will be fine. I have plenty of practise apparating after wine and I’m always in control of myself.” She said confidently. 

“I’m sure.” Harry said smiling. 

“Will you be OK?” She asked with half a smile.

He snorted. “I’m not great at apparatting sober to be honest, it still makes me feel a bit sick every time! But I’m going to walk, it’s actually not that far from my house.”

Daphne laughed. “Enjoy your walk then, it is a nice evening for it.”

Harry passed her both the boxes. “Here take all the food back, the poncy git will appreciate the fancy french food more than me I’m sure... Not that it wasn’t nice!” He added quickly.

She laughed again but carefully took both the boxes from him. “Thank you, he definitely will. Goodnight Harry.”

“Goodnight Daphne.” Harry said.

After she disappeared with a faint pop Harry walked off down the quiet side street and back towards Grimmauld Place.

Daphne was quite something and he thought that he’d made a new friend tonight and found himself happy with that. She had given him a lot to think about though and he couldn’t help but feel like things might get worse for him before they got better.


	8. Draco: Monday 19th September

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Is this the chapter where Harry and Draco properly meet again?!  
> Maybe...

Daphne came in through the back of the shop that morning in a good mood like she always did. Draco was hoovering in his office but had the door open just looking over the diary again and double checking the week ahead. He wordlessly handed her the diary so she could take it back to the counter for the day.

“Morning darling.” She said as she always did, taking the diary. “Did you have a nice weekend?”

Draco huffed. “No not really but I never do so what’s new there!” Unlike Daphne, he was not in a good mood today.

Daphne frowned at him. “I thought you went to that muggle club with Blaise?” 

“It was a disaster, I should never have gone.” He snapped.

“What happened?” Daphne said softly, laying a delicate hand on his arm.

He sighed and leaned forward into her. He wasn’t really much of a hugger, in fact he didn’t usually do physical affection at all as he just wasn’t used to it but weirdly today he just felt like a hug. It was on days like today where he wished he could just wake up in someone’s arms rather than be forced to wake alone and seek comfort in the arms of his fake ex-fiancé. 

“Nothing really happened, it wasn’t that bad. I'm just in a bad mood, sorry.” He sighed softly as she levitated the diary so she could slip both hands around his waist and hug him. He put his arms around her two and they stood there for a moment. 

She was looking at him suspiciously but not unkindly when they broke apart. “You know you’re going to have to give me more than that don’t you?! You never hug me willingly Draco!” 

He stepped back from her and took a deep breath. “I guess I just feel a little alone at the moment which is ridiculous because I see you almost everyday and I’m used to sleeping alone it’s just… well I thought maybe I wanted to go out and meet someone with Blaise and I just couldn’t do it. It was awful, guys coming on to me left, right and center-” 

Cutting himself off, Draco waved his hand in the air drastically and Daphne laughed. “Humble aren’t you?!” She teased.

He just shrugged but smiled anyway. “It’s just so empty, shagging some guy in a club. Just doesn’t do it for me anymore. It never really did in the first place but at least it was kind of fun before. It made me forget for a while but now…” He sighed. “I thought I was happy being alone, I haven’t felt anything about it in ages but then, erm, well, something happened to make me feel something again and now I want more but I can’t have it.” 

Turning to the door, he gently banged his head against it. “I’m fine, I just need to pull myself together and stop being so ridiculous.” He told himself out loud.

When he straightened up he found that Daphne was looking at him fondly and clearly amused. “I’m glad my misery amuses you!” He snapped feeling irritated again.

“Oh Draco.” Daphne said softly, shaking her head. “It will all come together you’ll see!”

She took the diary from midair again and turned towards the door that led to the shop. 

“What’s that supposed to mean?!” He called out to her back indignantly. 

But she just waved her hand and said she needed to open up before the door to the shop closed softly behind her. 

Daphne had been incredibly unhelpful and had done nothing to lift his mood. Even the brief comfort of the hug had gone now and he felt empty once again. Still, the first week of trading had gone better than he could have hoped and he tried to lift his spirits with that. Life really wasn’t so bad. He’d been able to pay Daphne a wage and put a small amount in his vault at Gringotts to start building it back up again. He’d even had another trip to the bakery on Saturday to stock up the cupboards a bit with fresh bread, cakes and pastries. Not the healthiest but he had a really sweet tooth so he loved it. 

The weekend hadn’t been all bad in reality. He had orders to keep him busy now after a few other appointments with clients wanting something bespoke and even some new ones that Daphne had signed up to the mail order potions system after they had come into the shop. He’d even eaten pretty well after his meal with Daphne and Blaise Friday night and Daphne had owled over some leftovers from his favourite french restaurant yesterday. 

His eyes wandered to the gift basket sitting on his desk ready wrapped in his signature black and gold colours. It had been a little tight to get it done in time but he’d stayed up late last night to finish it as he didn’t want it hanging over his head today. Draco was pleased with the products though and certainly hoped Potter would be. There was a whole range of haircare and bath products all using slightly different blends of peppermint, green tea, freshly cut grass, scents of parchment and forest floor and eucalyptus which wasn’t something he’d discussed with Potter but he felt it went well with the other scents. 

The perfume blend of parchment, old books, green tea and freshly cut grass had actually turned out really well and it was quite different to any other perfume on the market. He had labelled it as ‘The Granger’ and thought that perhaps he could even ask Potter if she would mind if he put it on the shelves. She was famous in her own right now as a war heroine and a prominent figure in the ministry so it would no doubt be popular. 

Today’s task was to restock the potions in the shop that had sold in the last week and to keep his mind off the fact that he was going to see Potter tonight. He sighed and went down the stairs through the door on his right to the cellar. A day of brewing is exactly what he needed. The process always calmed him down and having a line of perfect vials sitting on his bench at the end of the day would definitely make him feel better. 

Except it didn’t today. 

As soon as he started brewing things were going wrong. Draco was never clumsy, ever yet so far today he’d dropped two pairs of scales, broken three glass vials and knocked a whole cauldron of almost finished potion off the bench. 

He’d spent the last year perfecting his own version of the Pepperup Potion which didn’t cause steam to come out of the drinker’s ears and it was proving very popular in the shop as you couldn’t buy it anywhere else. It had been difficult at first and he’d had many failed attempts in the potions lab at the Manor but last month he’d got to the stage where he could probably make it with his eyes closed. 

Today though, despite going through his recipe precisely step up step it just wasn’t going the perfect shade of pink and he didn’t know why. He worked solidly all day refusing Daphne entry and lunch and not stopping to eat himself. Yet at the end of the day he had nothing to show for it and he angrily vanished the mess of broken things and unusable potions. He was so frustrated that he punched the black tiled wall and then immediately regretted it as he almost passed out in pain. He’d never been good at coping with pain.

“Draco!” Came a concerned voice on the other side of the cellar door which he didn’t respond to.

“Draco, what’s going on?!” The voice said louder. It was steady and commanding.

“At least reply and let me know you’re ok!” Daphne shouted, half worried and half angry.

“I- I’m f-fine” Draco said weakly, clutching his bloody hand and sinking down the wall onto the floor.

“Well at least you’re alive but that hardly sounded convincing Draco!” Daphne's firm voice came bounding through the door again. 

He didn’t reply but he accidentally let out a whimper in pain as his hand was throbbing. 

When Daphne spoke again her voice was soft and full of care. “Please let me in darling.”

Draco sighed and feebly got his wand out of it’s holster on his left arm with his right hand. Then watched in clatter to the floor next to him as he couldn’t grip it usually with his right hand in the mess that it was in. He picked it up with his left hand and lowered the locking charm on the door. His wand felt weird in his left hand but it did the job and soon Daphne was coming into the room.

She looked like she was ready to tell him off and then thought better of it as she rushed over to his side and delicately picked up his ruined hand. 

“Oh Draco.” She said quietly. 

Her voice didn’t have any pity in it though, he couldn’t have coped with that but it had tenderness and love, like a mother’s love. It was that more than anything which made the tears roll down his cheeks. Draco had been trying to deny it for so long but as long as he could remember all he really wanted was someone to take care of him. 

Daphne worked in silence casting ‘Episkey’ on his broken bones and dabbing his bloody knuckles with essence of dittany before soaking bandages in murtlap essence and wrapping them around his hold hand.

“Thanks.” Draco muttered. 

“Now drink this.” She said quietly but still commandingly handing him on of his own pain potions from his limited basement stock. 

Decided he should probably obey despite the fact that he hated using his own stock he took the vial with his left hand and poured it down his throat. He immediately felt the smooth liquid soothe him and the magic flowed to his throbbing hand easing the pain. 

*~*

After a few minutes of sitting there silently Draco felt the pain from his hand ease and his head was feeling less dizzy.

“Oh Salazar!” He suddenly remembered! “Daphne, what time is it? If you’re here is the shop closed?” 

“Draco don’t panic, it's all fine. Yes the shop is closed, I shut it a little early as it’s been quiet this afternoon and I wanted to talk to you.” She said calmly.

“What time is it?!” He repeated harshly finding his feet.

He felt a little dizzy still as he stood up too quickly and reached out to brace himself against the wall.

Daphne reached out her hand and gently gripped his shoulder to steady him too. She was looking at him but she didn’t seem the least bit concerned. That was another thing he liked about her, she never panicked, she was steady and constant. 

“It’s quarter to five.” She said calmly but it did nothing to calm Draco down.

“Merlin! I’ve got to get ready, there’s not much time.” He said more to himself than another as he made his way to the door.

“Draco, it's fine... there is time... slow down.” Came Daphne’s voice from behind him as he bounded up one flight of stairs and then straight up another into his pathetic excuse for a flat. 

He went straight into his bedroom without even caring that Daphne was following him and started taking off his cheap black cotton dungaree style overalls that he had bought for brewing. Daphne followed him and firmly placed her hand over the top of his to still it just as he was struggling to unclipping the top of the dungarees with his bandaged hand.

“Will you please stop for a second and listen to me.” She said fiercely. 

“You don’t understand, I don’t have time.” He said stubbornly shaking off her hand and managing to undo the second clip on his left shoulder. “If you don’t want to see me get undressed you should leave now otherwise I will do it in front of you!”

“As if I’d care!” She laughed. “But if you’d just bloody listen to me you’d know that you don’t have to rush-”

Draco cut her off. “I do! Potter’s coming, he could be here any minute!”

“He’s not coming until half five.” She said calmly. “You still have about fifty minutes.”

Draco stopped short of pushing the trousers of his overalls down and left the dungaree straps hanging loosely down his back as he looked at her in mild surprise.

“How do you know?” He asked her suspiciously.

“Because that’s when I told him to come.” Daphne said, maintaining her calm voice.

“And you spoke to him and made this appointment without telling me when?” He snapped accusingly.

“We had dinner together Saturday night.” She said casually as if it wasn’t a big deal.

For a split second he was taken by surprise. “I’m sorry, your date was with Harry Potter and you just forgot to mention that?!” He said, lacking the energy to even try and keep the bitterness out of his voice.

This was just fucking perfect! The best way to end this miserable day would be to find out that his best friend and employee was dating the one person he both hated and fancied more than anyone else. Daphne was quite a catch, of course Potter would like her and she would just love to be with the perfect war hero. They would probably get married and have perfect bloody babies and, oh Merlin, he was never going to escape Harry sodding Potter. 

He realised he’d been frantically pacing and his breathing was getting out of control. He was vaguely aware that Daphne had been speaking but he had no idea what she’d said. Then a firm pair of hands reached up and gripped his shoulders and practically shoved him down so he was sitting on the edge of the bed. 

Then a soft steady voice cut through his thoughts. “Draco, just breathe… that’s it darling, breathe… in and out… that’s it.”

Daphne’s hand was rubbing the base of his back. The touch was nice but it was too soft, too gentle, too… feminine. Still his breathing was under control now and he was able to look at her and take in what she was saying.

“You ok now?” She said, looking at him in a half-amused kind of way and let out a small chuckle.

“What exactly is so funny?!” He said irritated.

“Other than the fact that you had a panic attack at the idea of me dating Harry?!” She said with a raised eyebrow and a smirk.

“Since. when. has. he. become. bloody. Harry?” Draco spat each word out slowly still breathing in and out heavily trying to control all the multitude of conflicting emotions. 

“And it wasn’t a panic attack!” He added as an afterthought.

“Since we became friends.” Daphne stated casually.

Draco raised an eyebrow at her in return. “Friends?! You’re friends with Potter now?” 

“Yes.” Daphne stated simply before flashing that small mischievous smile at him. “Just friends don’t worry, he made it very clear that it wasn’t a date which you would know if you’d been listening to me just now so you need not fret my dear, I haven't taken him off the market.”

“I’m not worrying! I don’t care who the idiot dates. I just didn’t want to see him around here more than I have to that’s all.” Draco said sharply. 

“Sure.” Daphne said sarcastically. What did that mean?! Thought Draco.

“I’m definitely not his type anyway.” She added after a short pause.

“Too Slytherin for him?!” Draco said bitterly. “He probably prefers redheads anyway!”

Daphne smiled with a knowing look. “Perhaps not for too much longer.” She said cryptically. “And Slytherin has nothing to do with it, I actually think he’s got a bit of a Slytherin side himself.”

This conversation was exhausting Draco. He didn’t understand what Daphne was on about and he didn’t want to think about Potter anymore. In fact he suddenly decided that he really did not want to see him. He was too irritated, the whole day had been a disaster and Potter was the last person who would make him feel better. Plus his emotions were all over the place that he didn’t trust himself to perform well as Pierre like he usually did. 

“Well seeing as you’re such good friends with the insufferable git you can give him his bloody gift basket when he comes to collect it. I don’t want to see him.” He said, still angry.

Then he felt the anger dissipate from him and he just felt exhausted. He sighed and collapsed back onto the bed.

“Of course Draco.” Daphne said softly.

He hadn’t expected that. He’d expected her to insist he pull himself together and face the man. Instead she took the gold silk scarf she was wearing around her neck and transfigured it into a large soft blanket before laying it over him as he scooted further up the bed and curled into a little ball.

“Just rest Draco and try not to worry about anything.” She said kindly in her mothering tone. “I’ll leave you alone for a bit and I’ll take care of Harry but afterwards you and I are going to have a little chat.” She said in the soft but firm way that only she could.

“Fine.” He said quietly. “And, erm, thanks Daphne.” He added.

He didn’t even try to bat her away like he usually did when she gave him a soft kiss of the forehead. She knew better than to touch his hair though, he never let anyone do that.

Daphne was true to her word and left him alone in the bedroom for about an hour. He didn’t even know how he felt anymore, everything was conflicting and nothing made sense. Was it possible to feel completely full of emotion but hopelessly empty at the same time? His life at the Manor for two years had been completely regimented. He’d had a strict routine, he’d known exactly what he was doing every day and nothing ever changed. It had been completely void of emotion, cold and empty. He’d spent every evening dining with his parents, living a lie to their faces being forced to watch everything he said and did, planning, scheming and patiently playing the long game. He’d hated every second of it but at the same time it had been what he knew, familiar, easy in a way and he almost missed it. 

Life here was very different and Draco didn’t cope well with change. He desperately tried to make a routine of his new life. He was finally getting up at the same time every day now starting it at 6am with exactly fifteen minutes of meditation and then fifteen minutes of yoga before taking a shower. Then he would read on the sofa whilst drinking coffee (sometimes with a biscuit or a pastry if he was lucky but sometimes he would just skip breakfast) before heading down to his office at 8:50. Then Daphne would come in, they would quickly go over the plan for the day and then work would begin.

The trouble was from then on each day was different. Sometimes he had appointments with clients that were at different times. For those he had to get dressed as Pierre and alter his appearance accordingly. Sometimes he would work in his office wrapping gift baskets, writing labels, making up invoices, checking the accounts etc. If it was in between appointments he would usually stay as Pierre but if he didn’t have any he would be Draco. Although he would often get paranoid as he could often hear the customers in the shop and worried that they would suddenly come bursting in through the back of the shop and find out that a Death Eater was running the place. So often he would start his office time as Draco but then end up transforming into Pierre anyway just to make himself more comfortable even though he knew logically they couldn’t come in through the locked office door unless he allowed them to. 

Sometimes he would start the morning brewing down in the basement which he liked as he could be Draco and no one would question a securely warded door to a potions laboratory as it was always the safest thing to do. Although sometimes he still had to keep an eye on the time if he had an appointment in the afternoon. His favourite days were Wednesdays and Sundays where the shop was closed and he could create products all day as Draco without anyone bothering him. He could also be alone too which was nice. He loved seeing Daphne but he was seeing her even more than he was when they were pretending to be engaged and he was still naturally an introvert now. 

Draco was used to spending all his time in one building and only leaving it for the occasional meal out to visit Blaise or Daphne but this place was a lot smaller than the Manor. It was also a lot busier and those two things sometimes made him feel quite panicked and claustrophobic. He quickly realised that he didn’t like living on the busiest street in wizarding Britain and felt like strangers were constantly coming into his home. It was stupid as that was the whole point of the shop and it’s not like they actually came into his flat. He had known it would be like this, it was his idea to open a shop for Merlin’s sake, it was just taking more out of him that he’d thought.

In the back of his head he also still felt scared that his father would find him. He knew the man was still livid and he was now getting daily letters written in his mother’s hand but containing his father’s words telling him to come home. He could tell Lucius was getting desperate too. One day it was all sweetness saying that he was forgiven and that they loved him, would he just come home so that they could be a family again. Those letters would hold all sorts of empty promises saying he didn’t have to get married, they just wanted him home. Others said that he didn’t even have to come home if he didn’t want to, they just wanted to know where he was so that they could visit him and ensure he was doing ok. 

It was all rubbish, he had the proof now that his father would use the Imperius charm on his own son to force him to stay and carry out ‘his duty’ if he needed to. The other letters made it very clear that Draco was not forgiven and instead of promises they just held empty threats claiming that Lucius knew exactly where he was hiding and would not hesitate to plant evidence at Draco’s new home and call the aurors on him if he didn’t come home. It was pathetic. Draco had no doubt that if his father knew where he was he could have stormed in by now. It was a small comfort when every day he was worried about someone discovering the shop was secretly being run by a Malfoy. Even if he wasn’t a Malfoy in name anymore he still was in blood.

Also, when he was living at the Manor he’d been able to get through it as he had an end goal in mind. He had a vision for the future and he knew where he was heading. Of course he felt immensely proud that he’d achieved that now but what was next? The business was going well and he tried to be happy with that but he didn’t know where to go from here. Sure he had vague ideas, earn enough to get a small place of his own for starters. Somewhere out in the countryside somewhere where he could escape if he needed to. However, that would take years and that picture of his future wasn’t as clear as the vision of his shop had been. 

Sometimes he still couldn’t help if this was a good idea after all. He loved the satisfaction he got when customers like his products and he loved the process of making them, especially the bespoke blends. He also still has new ideas for products and experimental potions that he can’t wait to try. Making something brand new like that from scratch was so rewarding. There was nothing else like it and he knew he was good at it, yet there was still something missing. He thought that this new life would make him happy but he didn’t feel happy. Merlin, get a grip of yourself Draco, his brain said. He knew he was never getting some sort of happily ever after fairytale life, he’d accepted that a long time ago. Even if he was never truly happy, he could be content and that would have to be enough. 

Going out with Blaise had been a stupid idea, that’s what had rattled him. He’d allowed himself to forget the decision he made to stay celibate was for a good reason. Deep down he knew who he wanted, he’d always known and no one else would live up to him. Damn him and his high standards, Draco thought to himself. However that man was completely unattainable. That man in Draco’s head probably didn’t even exist, not really. He was just a messed up mix of a passion-fuelled school boy rival he’d had when he’d first found that he was attracted to boys and the hero that he worshipped for achieving what no one else could and ridding him of his darkest demon. 

The trouble was he’d been able to push his confusing feelings down for so long thinking of him as that scrawny idiot boy he’d hated. Now though when he thought of him he pictured the damn attractive man that he sat across from him so carefree and happy. It didn’t help that he was probably downstairs right now casually talking to Daphne and all that Draco could think about was whether he liked the gift basket. He suddenly was jealous that Daphne got to see the expression on his face and he didn’t. He desperately wanted Potter to like the products. He’d worked harder on that one than any other commission he’d received that week and he hadn’t done it for Granger that was for sure.

Sighing, he dragged himself up and wandered through to the kitchen where he made himself some chamomile tea. That always helped soothe him and he was again grateful that Daphne had insisted in buying the expensive stuff despite the fact that he’d never once seen her drink it. He sat drinking his tea on the sofa thinking that he really should just buy a new one when he could afford it. It certainly looked better after he’d transfigured it but he still could not make it as comfortable as the luxury ones he was used to relaxing on. 

*~*

A short while later he heard Daphne’s soft footsteps coming up the stairs and then she opened the door to Draco’s pathetic little flat and came to sit next to him on the sofa.

“Tea?” He offered.

She screwed her face up. “No thanks, I can’t stand that chamomile stuff.”

Draco wanted to be cross but he just laughed. “I knew you were only buying it for me!”

“Yes well I’ve done it now so you better just accept it.” She said firmly.

Draco said nothing but he smiled softly behind his cup as he took another sip.

“So, erm, was everything alright? Did, erm, Potter like the gift basket?” He said as casually as he could. 

“He loved it Draco! Honestly you should have seen him, he really was impressed!” She said fondly. “You are really good at what you do, you know.” 

“I know!” He said arrogantly but with a smile.

Daphne was eyeing him curiously probably trying to determine if he felt better or not.

“How’s the hand?” She asked carefully.

“It’s feeling much better thanks. It barely hurts now, will probably be fine in the morning.” He said honestly.

“Good.” She said and after a pause where she seemed to decide that he was indeed feeling better she said. “He was disappointed to not see you.”

“You mean he was disappointed to not see Pierre.” He said bitterly. 

“No I mean you.” She said determinedly. “He knows who you really are.”

“What the-” Draco started furiously turning so sharply towards Daphne that the rest of the tea in his cup went all over the middle of the sofa. A bit of the hot liquid caught his hand too and then he dropped the cup on the floor where it smashed.

“Oh sorry.” Daphne said, quickly jumping up and vanishing the hot liquid before repairing the cup. “I really shouldn’t have said that while you had hot liquid in your hands are you ok? Did it burn you?”

“I’m fine, it was only a little bit.” Said Draco irritably but silently agreeing with her. “What do you mean he knows who I really am?!” He barked.

“Draco, please don’t get cross again! Honestly I promise you it’s absolutely fine.” Daphne said quickly, practically begging him. Then she regained her composure while Draco wordlessly opened and closed his mouth not knowing where to begin. 

“This is what I wanted to talk to you about earlier but, well…” She said calmly indicated to Draco’s bandaged hand. “Anyway, I promise I will explain everything but only if you promise to listen and not get worked up.”

“You want me to promise not to get worked up about the fact that the man who hates my guts and who is a bloody auror no less knows about my true identity when I’m trying extremely hard to make sure that word doesn’t get out about who really runs this shop as not only would people not want to buy from me but it also might lead to my maniac controlling father knowing where I am?” Draco rushed out in one long sentence. 

Daphne looked at him for a moment before laughing which made Draco frown at her even more. 

“Oh I’m sorry darling but you are always so dramatic! I know, I know-!” She said quickly when Draco opened his mouth to speak making him close it again. 

“We had this conversation last week remember, when I promised you that I understand why you’re concerned about privacy and when I said I’d never do anything to jeopardise you or the business? Then you said you trusted me? Well I need you to trust me still.” She said calmly.

He didn’t say anything but just gave a short sharp nod indicating she could carry on. He sat with his hands in his lap absentmindedly rubbing the space on his finger again where the Malfoy heir ring used to sit. 

“Firstly, the very first conversation I had with Harry determined that if he once hated you that doesn’t matter because he doesn’t anymore and I told you that. Plus he is no longer an auror if that is a concern to you.” Daphne pointed out.

Draco looked up in surprise. “He’s not?”

“No, you know you really should read The Daily Prophet more, I know it’s mostly rubbish but it still does contain actual news that a business owner in this day and age really should keep up to date-”

“Daphne, you’re rambling again.” Draco interrupted, whilst at the same time remembering Potter’s reaction to when he addressed him as ‘Auror Potter’ in their meeting. “Just tell me concisely what the Prophet said.”

“Well,” She started, seemingly not offended. “They announced that ‘it was a mutual decision to liberate Harry from the responsibility of being an auror’. Harry issued a statement to say that he has ‘thoroughly enjoyed his time as an auror’ but that he simply wished to ‘spend more time with his family and friends’ or something like that anyway. He also said that he still supported the Ministry in what they are doing and that the department was in very good hands. The Minister thanked Harry for his hard work in reforming the Ministry since the war and joked that if anyone deserved a very early retirement it was him. He then assured the public that they would still be consulting with Harry on ‘the big cases’ but the bit about Harry was all quite brief.”

She paused for a moment and then carried on. “They spent most of the article making Ronald Weasley look very good indeed and publishing his statistics from the department over the past seven years. It seems like the Ministry have got themselves a new Golden Boy to be honest. He’s now Head Auror from today.”

“Weasley is Head Auror?!” Draco said in disbelief. 

Daphne nodded. “Yes it does seem rather odd doesn’t it?! I always thought he was a bit of a bumbling idiot at school but there must be more to him than that.”

“Doubt it.” Draco scorned. “The Ministry must be desperate without Potter, that's all, wonder why he really left…”

“Anyway,” Draco said, focusing back on the important thing but still with despair in his voice. “So what if Potter isn’t officially an auror anymore he still has connections at the Ministry, he always will. Weren’t you supposed to be explaining to me how exactly he knows who I am and why everything’s going to be ok?!”

“Well I guess all the case solving probably helped him piece together a few of the clues. I think he had his suspicions before your appointment and whatever was said between the two of you only confirmed it for him.” Daphne started explaining it slowly.

“I do know though that he worked it out on his own. He said to be sure that you didn’t think the twins had betrayed you as they definitely hadn’t. I didn’t even know you’d spoken to the Weasley twins let alone that they knew who you were.” She said in mild accusation. 

“Oh, yeah, sorry.” Draco said a bit sheepishly. “I told Blaise but I forgot I never told you. I’ve been working with them for months and they told me about this place. How did you think I knew about it?”

“I assumed Blaise had told you, the man knows everything.” She said with a dismissive wave of her hand.

“Fair assumption to make.” Draco conceded. “I did get the impression a couple of times when I met Potter that he seemed to know it was me but I told myself I was being paranoid, seems maybe I wasn’t.” 

Draco stopped his thought process and sighed resigning to himself. “I have to admit I was a bit worried that maybe the Weasley twins had told him. I didn’t think they would though, somehow I trust them, I know that’s odd… I’ll even admit that I like working with them so I’m glad that our partnership can continue. Plus they do pay me well, I wouldn’t have been able to afford all this without them. Anyway, I suppose I’m glad to hear that he worked it out for himself even if it makes me doubt the effectiveness of my disguise.”

“Well the point I was making was I think he went into that meeting already looking for signs that it was you, if that makes sense.” Daphne said, trying to sound encouraging. “Otherwise I don’t think he’d have worked it out.”

Draco nodded slowly. “I suppose that’s probably true. Still not sure how I feel about him knowing though. What exactly did he say to you?”

“He wrote to me on Thursday asking if I was free for dinner on Saturday. He said he wanted to take me out as he had something to ask me but he made it clear that the invitation was purely platonic.” She looked at Draco with a bit of a suppressed smile remembering their earlier conversation. 

“We had a really lovely dinner actually, I have to say he is very impressive as a person and I rather like him. He-”

“Enough of that thank you.” Draco interrupted sharply. “I don’t need to hear about how bloody perfect he is. I just want to know what he said about me.”

“Yes sir.” Daphne said somewhat sarcastically. 

“It was near the end, we’d had the leftovers boxed up and I said I would give them to you because it was your favorite restaurant and then he said that you were the reason he’d invited me out in the first place.” Daphne continued. 

“He came straight out with it saying he knew that Pierre was really you. I thought he might ask me but he told me so maybe the twins had already confirmed it I’m not sure… Anyway, I didn’t confirm anything at first. I wanted to find out what he wanted but he said he just wanted to talk to you and wanted to ask for my help in how to best approach you.”

“Approach me?! I’m not a bloody dragon!” Draco said, offended.

“Well you can be a bit hot and fiery darling.” Daphne said with a smile. “He was worried that if he just told you straight out that he knew you would hex him.”

“Yes, well I probably would.” Draco snapped before realising that he’d just confirmed the thing he’d been offended about.

“Now you understand why he approached me first my little dragon.” Daphne said amused but her smile vanished when Draco turned sharply to her.

“Don’t ever call me that.” He said coldly.

He glared at her for a moment before he realised that she seemed genuinely frightened and he’d never seen her look at him like that before.

“Sorry.” He said quietly as he looked away. “My mother once…” 

Draco trailed off awkwardly as he felt Daphne soften on the sofa next to him but he was afraid if he looked at her he would pity and that he could not stand.

“Anyway… Potter?” He said, clearing his throat.

“Yes,” Daphne said, gathering her thoughts again. “Well like I said he just wants to talk to you. I’m not sure what about exactly but… well I think he’s got something going on at the moment and it’s probably the real reason why he quit the aurors. I get the impression he didn’t like it much and I think he quit. I don’t buy this ‘mutual decision’ rubbish. He said… now let me just remember this exactly…”

She paused for a moment and then spoke slowly but with confidence. “He said that he’s just trying to move on now and live his life… That he has a lot of thinking to do about his future but also his past and that you are a large part of his past… He said he couldn’t do what he needed to do without talking to you first.”

Draco allowed himself to take in the words and repeated them over his head for a moment before frowning. “Well what in Salazar’s name does that mean?” He said irritably. “What is it that he’s ‘got to do’?” 

“I’m not sure.” Daphne said honestly. “But I think he’s a bit of a broken man deep down. I mean does anyone really know Harry Potter? I watched him at school, maybe not as closely as you but I still did and I’ve read everything there is to read about him. Yet one short conversation with him completely changed everything I thought I knew. All I’m saying is maybe you don’t know him like you think you do. Maybe he’s changed or maybe he’s always been different than we thought.”

Draco was torn. On the one hand he knew that Daphne was a very good judge of character and he trusted her opinions on things, she was never usually wrong. On the other hand she might have been at school but she was always in the background of things. She didn’t truly know what had gone on between the two of them over all those years of history. Potter had every reason to hate him, Draco thought to himself bitterly, and no one is that good of a person to just forgive and forget no matter what they might say. 

“I don’t know Daphne.” Draco said honestly. “How can I just talk to him, we’ve never had a civil conversation with each other in our lives.”

“You had a civil conversation last Tuesday.” She pointed out.

Draco sighed. “That was different, I was Pierre.”

“Yes but he thought you were Draco, and he came here today thinking he was going to see Draco.” She argued. “Plus, I saw in the order book he gave you his account details still while suspecting it was you and he’s every bit as protective about his private life as you are. Why would he do that if he hated you or if he didn’t trust you? You have the name of his house elf now too-”

“Kreacher!” Draco suddenly interrupted. 

Daphne looked up in surprise at his sudden outburst and waited for him to elaborate.

“The name, I’ve always thought that was an odd name for a house elf yet it was weirdly familiar to me somehow….” Draco said thinking out loud and then looking up at Daphne. “I’ve just remembered where I know the name from. I heard Mother and Aunt Bellatrix talk about him, he’s the Blacks family house elf.” 

“But why would the Black’s family house else be serving Potter? I thought there were no Blacks left now. Surely the elf should serve you now?” She said confused. “You said when you changed your name that Gringotts still didn’t recognise you as the Black heir but you thought it was because the vaults sealed themselves when the name officially died out in the male line and it was too late to undo it…” She trailed off.

“Potter is the Black heir.” Draco started having never considered it before but now knowing somehow it was true.

“But, but-” Daphne started but Draco was ahead of her.

“His Godfather was Sirius Black. I remember, them, talking about it at the Manor after…” He swallowed thickly, he deliberately hadn’t thought about the events of the war in years. “...after the attack in the Ministry. The vault theory was my Aunt’s as she tried to gain access to them after she..” 

He paused to gather himself again, he hated thinking about her. “After she killed her cousin. I remember her being furious about it and going on about not being a man. If you’re the male heir you automatically gain access to the vaults when the current head of house dies even if there’s no official will but a female relative can only inherit in the absence of a male heir and if she has been officially named in all the relevant paperwork which Sirius Black obviously never carried out. The goblins were naming none of it but I didn’t even really try. I asked one obviously, when I changed my name but I expected the answer and never challenged it.”

“I assumed the house was just abandoned now. Knowing the Black family there will definitely be protections on it to stop it falling into the hands of someone who isn’t the Black heir and I’m not no matter what my name is so I didn’t even try. I don’t even know where it is but I never thought about what happened to the house elf but if he really is Potter’s then Black must have named Potter as his heir in his will. If he filled out all the paperwork the goblins and the Ministry would have accepted it. A male that is named as heir will always take precedence, everything would have shifted the moment Black signed his name in blood on the paperwork. Now Potter’s children will be heir to the Potter and the Black families unless he actively names someone else, but why would he?!” Draco had been calm when he explained it but as his own words sunk in he felt himself getting angry once more.

“Well now you can tell your new best friend that I would very much like to speak to him!” He spat at Daphne angrily as he stood up. 

Daphne sighed loudly and rubbed her forehead with her hand. She was quiet for a moment as Draco started pacing the room silently cursing everything about Harry fucking Potter. Then she got to her feet too.

“Have you still got some leftovers from La Bouchard?” She asked.

“Yes why?” Draco said in anger, still pacing.

“Because I’m hungry obviously!” Daphne retorted. “And you should eat too, come on.” She said as she walked over to Draco’s small corner kitchen where one white box still sat under a status charm.

Draco was about to argue with her again just for the sake of it when he realised he was indeed hungry too. He hadn’t eaten all day.

They sat in silence on the kitchen stools for a little while munching through some bread, olives and half a cheese platter. Draco had lost the energy to be angry now and had to admit the food was putting him in a better mood. After a while Daphne spoke again after clearly considering her words.

“Don’t hate me Draco but I think it would do you both good to talk.” She said quietly.

There was no need to ask who she was talking about. Draco sighed, resigning himself to the fact that whatever she was about to say would probably make an annoying amount of sense.

“I don’t think you’ve ever really processed everything that happened all those years at school… and, well-” Daphne took a deep breath before carrying on. “and during the war and I don’t think he has either… You’re both different in a lot of ways and have different ways of coping with everything but in some ways I think you’re quite similar… Just talk to him? Calmly I mean. See what he has to say? I don’t think you’ll regret it… I just have a feeling about this.”

“Are you a seer now on top of everything else you do for me?!” Draco said exasperated but with now real malice.

Daphne smiled softly at him. “It’s been a long day.”

She paused for a moment before adding something else. “I think you have a lot of confusing feelings towards Harry and I think it’s because you just have all these different versions of him in your head. Maybe try to just forget everything you know, everything to feel and start again? Just get to know him as Harry like I’m doing?” She suggested tentatively.

Draco felt exposed. Daphne was the only person who could read him like this, not even Blaise was quite this good at it and they’d been friends for a lot longer. He didn’t like it but he’d put his trust in Daphne before and she’d never let him down, in fact she was constantly surprising him in a good way. He couldn’t find the right words at the moment but he nodded slowly. He didn’t know how she knew what she knew but maybe she was right.

Daphne was looking at him with mild curiosity again but when smiled in a very satisfied way. 

“In that case I’m going to invite him over to the estate Saturday night. You’re invited too of course, and Blaise I think. We’ll cancel Friday so you can have some time to yourself and do this dinner on Saturday instead with Harry. You’ll do better if you don’t have work to think about the next day.” Daphne was clearly formulating this plan on the spot out loud.

“Saturday, dinner, 7pm my place.” She said decidedly. “I’ll send mum, dad and Astoria off out somewhere, maybe they can go have another dinner at the Macmillian’s, they’re due for another one.”

She turned to Draco. “You’ll come? Open minded?” She questioned.

He thought for a moment but he already knew what his answer would be. Stupidly he could never stay away from the man. “Yes.” 

“Good.” She said happily.

Draco had decided another thing altogether though. Harry Potter was either going to make or break him. Which one would it be?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ...or maybe not!  
> These two lost boys need Daphne to help them along a bit!!  
> Sorry! But I did tag it as a slow burn! ;) :P  
> Don't worry, time with Harry and Draco will come! I do like writing the other characters too though and I want this to be quite a well rounded story will all aspects of Harry and Draco's lives not just about the two of them.


	9. Harry: Friday 23rd September-Saturday 24th September

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Long and important chapter!  
> Nervous about this one but hope you enjoy it!

It had been a difficult week for Harry and it was about to get a whole lot harder. He’d been avoiding Fred all week. He’d blame the book and said that he had lots more social appointments this week. He also insisted he needed time alone to plan and start writing it. The first excuse was kind of true but the second was mostly bullshit. In truth he was yet to write a single word despite receiving an official go ahead from Kingsley. 

They’d spoken about Harry’s new project at length on Monday when Harry had visited the Ministry. He’d only gone to give an official statement about his leaving, (which had already been written for him by the time he’d got there but he’d gone along with it) but he’d ended up staying most of the day. Kingsley was completely supportive about the book and although he agreed there was some sensitive information that shouldn’t be released to the public, he was confident they could get round it together. Harry agreed that Kingley could read any first draughts that came along to review but other than that Kingsley said he trusted Harry to progress with it as he saw fit. 

Ron had been excited to have Harry there as he’d showed off the new large office he’d officially moved into now and he gave his first address to the team of aurors as their boss. Harry was happy for him, he really was and he’d even been genuine when he told Ron he could still consult him on the big cases if he needed to. The actual ‘detective’ work he’d always enjoyed even if there wasn’t much of it these days. It was the office politics he hated and the fact that he couldn’t trust himself in the field anymore. 

He’d seen a lot of Ron that day as they’d had Hermione’s birthday dinner at the Burrow that evening too. Harry had been bracing himself for a chat with Malfoy (or whatever he called himself these days) but he was actually pretty relieved when Daphne said that he wasn’t feeling well enough so she hadn’t spoken to him yet. Instead he’d just the gift basket up and left. It did cross his mind that maybe Daphne had spoken to Malfoy and Malfoy was just refusing to see him but then he’d received a letter from Daphne afterward to say that he had spoken to Draco that night and would Harry please join them both at the Greengrass estate for dinner Saturday night.

The day after his rather successful Ministry trip Harry had written to Mr and Mrs Diggory and received a gushing response back to say that they would fully support the public knowing the truth about Cedric’s death. Despite the fact that everyone knew now really, it would still go some way to make amends for the fact that the Ministry initially covered his death up and kept insisting that Voldemort hadn’t returned so there had never been any ‘official’ word on how the young boy died. 

He’d also heard from Neville who’d invited him up to Hogwarts Tuesday later afternoon during his free period for a chat. He’d already heard all about it from Luna and was fully on board, he just wanted an excuse to see Harry and tell it to his face. 

It was always bittersweet to go back to Hogwarts. So many great memories of the place that had felt more like home to him than any other but so many painful memories too. This had been the place that Remus had died, and Tonks, Percy, Lavender, Colin and so many others that fateful day. While he was there he’d taken the opportunity to visit Hagrid and Professor McGonnagal too and both visits had been really nice. He’d spoken to them both about the book too even though they weren’t on his original list he suddenly realised he should as they would undoubtedly be in it. They’d both done so much for the war effort and for him personally. 

There was only one person on the list now and he would be seeing him tomorrow night, so there was really no excuse to just start writing the damn thing. He’d had plenty of opportunity too. Despite keeping his regular date with Teddy on Wednesday he’d still had plenty of time. 

Thursday he’d spent the day lazing around the house procrastinating. Kreacher seemed to like having him around more but Harry had been so bored he’d ended up sort of following the old house elf on his cleaning round which had then annoyed him. He’d ended up going into rooms he hadn’t been in for years that day, such as the formal drawing room on the first floor. There was a smaller sitting room on the ground floor that the TV was in so he would often sit in there, or he would use the study on the second floor. Mostly though he just kept to his bedroom on the top floor which was Sirius’ old room. 

He’d noticed something very odd though when he had been in the drawing room on Thursday and it was to do with the old Black family tapestry that he’d kept on the wall after the renovations. Obviously he already knew that Malfoy was on it and after spending so much time thinking about him this week his eye was drawn to his face. The face was the familiar face of his youth however under it his name no longer read Draco Malfoy. Now it very plainly said Draco Black. 

When he had asked Kreacher about it and the elf had simply shrugged and said it had magically changed a few months ago. Kreacher has said it meant that he’d obviously had a legal name change but that Harry was still obviously recognised as the Black heir as otherwise Kreacher would know. Apparently if he died without producing or naming an heir then Malfoy (or was that Black now?!) would automatically inherit but Sirius had named Harry heir in blood which meant that the bloodline had been changed to recognise Harry and any children he might have above all other claims. 

It felt very odd that Black (no couldn’t do it, too weird… Draco?!) would be his successor if he suddenly got hit by a bus today. Then again maybe he would have done anyway before this apparent legal name change. Harry had already known that he was the closest living male, he just didn’t really understand how it all worked. Truthfully he’d never thought about it in any real detail. He had been planning on naming Teddy but he’d just never gotten round to it. 

Another thing he’d spent the last day wondering about was why the name change? It seemed very strange that Draco (still felt odd but better than anything else) would suddenly change his change apparently just before calling off his engagement, moving to Diagon Alley and opening up a business. Harry assumed that he’d been living life in luxury at the Manor before now, had something happened? Was Draco ok? The biggest question of all perhaps was why did Harry care? 

Who was he kidding, he’d always had an unhealthy obsession with him; thinking about Draco, where he was and what he was up to was just revisiting familiar territory. What was weird was how quickly he was getting used to him being Draco in his head and how he was really looking forward to seeing him tomorrow night. He found himself thinking of what Draco looked like when he last saw him properly seven years ago, then thinking about Pierre and then picturing what Draco really looked like now. 

He had to put that out of his mind for now though. He had another very difficult conversation to get through first. The last thing he ever wanted to do was hurt Fred. Over the last three years Fred had never really asked Harry when he was going to be staying over, Harry just turned up when he felt like and it just sort of happened. If Fred had plans then he would let Harry know but sometimes Harry turned up at the flat while Fred was out and just spent time with George it had never been a big deal. If Harry ever decided to spend more time at Grimmauld Fred had never questioned it but he hadn’t spent a night in Fred’s bed since the Tuesday he’d had his appointment with Pierre which was almost two weeks ago. 

He’d seen Fred of course at The Burrow on Sunday the day after his dinner with Daphne, then again on Monday evening. He’d even popped into the flat on Wednesday evening after putting Teddy to bed just to say hello but when George had gone to bed and Fred had started pulling Harry towards his room Harry suddenly said he had a headache and would rather sleep in his own bed. Fred hadn’t said anything really but he had looked disappointed and Harry had felt really guilty about it afterwards.

Truthfully he hated sleeping in his own bed at home all by myself and had taken a much larger dose of dreamless sleep potion every night at Grimmauld than the small dose he usually took at Fred’s. He had known the minute he left the restaurant last Saturday that everything Daphne had said was spot on but it didn’t make the decision to talk to Fred any easier. 

He knew what he wanted, it was the same as what he’d always wanted. For a long time it had just been a distant fuzzy picture but he was slowly realising that it could become a reality. Especially with the news he’d received from the clinic this week. He thought back to the letters sitting in the drawer of his desk. He’d made the investment years ago not really thinking it would come to anything but it was odd how the news had come this week of all weeks. It was like the universe really was trying to tell him something.

He wanted a proper exclusive relationship with someone that he loved and who loved him back. Finding it was another matter entirely and it scared him more than anything else ever had. He thought that killing Voldemort would be the hardest thing he ever had to do but somehow, as ridiculous as it sounded he thought that this might be harder, but he’d been brave once again and he could be brave now. 

Being forced to face what he wanted he knew Fred had always been right, that Fred would never make him truly happy. He also knew that Daphne was right, whilst he could technically start finding ‘Mr. Right’ without doing anything against his ‘agreement’ with Fred it just didn’t feel right to him. He realised that he had been treating Fred like his boyfriend in his head really this whole time. 

The other thing he’d also realised was that he hadn’t missed Fred as much as he thought he might. He’d missed someone to talk to at the end of the day and someone to cuddle up to at night but he didn’t really miss Fred any differently to he missed George. He didn’t even miss the sex.

He had a few moments this week where he thought maybe he could stay with Fred and it would all work out but he knew that was just wishful thinking. As he’d cuddled Rose again this morning at Hermione’s he was reminded again of what he wanted and why he was doing it. Fred never ever wanted one of these gorgeous bundles of joy and Harry very much did. He couldn’t help watching Rose playing on the rug with the cuddly stag he’d bought her and wonder what it would feel like to watch his own child. He’d deliberately gone to Hermione’s earlier today and explained to her that he couldn’t stay today. Hopefully Ron would forgive him as he’d spent time together on Monday. 

*~*

As he got ready to go to the flat Friday evening he suddenly felt nervous. He’d never been worried about what state he’d turned up in before yet now he was over thinking about what to wear and how to start when he got there. It was all very odd. He asked Kreacher to put together the ingredients he needed and then went to put his trainers on. 

Tonight he was going to cook for the twins. He hadn’t done it for a while but he had cooked a few nights for himself this week, despite Kreacher's outrage, and remembered how much he enjoyed it. Plus it had the added benefit of relaxing him which he might need tonight. He also wanted to show the twins that he still cared about both of them, at the end of the day they were still two of his best friends. He just hoped after tonight they still would be.

He apparated over at exactly five o'clock. They would still be closing up the shop but he wanted to surprise them when they came up, plus the curry would take a little while to cook. He went straight into the kitchen and started setting out all the ingredients on the counter and getting out what he needed from the cupboards before grabbing himself a beer. He’d just taken his first sip when he heard them coming up the stairs seemingly arguing about something but in the jovial way that they did.

“Oh Harry, you’re here! Excellent!” Fred said coming into the flat via the main sitting room and then spotting Harry in the kitchen and coming through. “You can help me persuade George that he had a great time out with me last Saturday and that he wants to come out with me again tomorrow night!” 

Fred came over to give Harry a big sloppy kiss on the cheek which he whipped off dramatically and Fred laughed just as George joined them in the kitchen.

“I do not!” George said stubbornly. “A room of sweaty people rubbing up against each other to what can not be called music! No thanks!” He said crewing up his nose.

“You’re getting old Georgie!” Fred teased.

“I’m younger than you!” George snapped back playfully. 

Harry was laughing along with both of them immediately feeling happier and back at home here even though he was worried that this might be the last time he was welcome.

“So you cooking for us then Harry?” George asked. 

“What have we done to deserve such an honour?!” Fred asked.

“Well I haven’t been round here much in the last two weeks and I guess I felt kinda bad about that.” Harry shrugged honestly. “Plus I’ve been enjoying cooking a bit more but Kreacher still moans at me so there’s no one to bother me here!”

“Apart from us!” The twins said cheekily and both leaned over at once to mix up some of Harry’s ingredients and started chucking them across the kitchen to each other.

“Oi!” Harry chuckled. “Behave or you won’t get any!”

“Yes Mum!” They chimed in unison.

“Race you to the shower Gred!”

“No chance Forge, I’m getting there first today!”

They both teared out of the room leaving Harry to once again feel sorry for the woman who had raised these terrors! Clearly it had been a good day in the shop today as the twins were in a very good mood. Harry felt another pang of guilt as he realised that he would probably be the one to ruin the mood later.

With the twins gone he was able to make a start of the curry in peace. All three of them shared a love for spicy food so he was doing a hot chicken jalfrezi, something which he had cooked before but not for a while. He chopped everything by hand wanting to keep himself busy and chill out a bit. 

By the time both twins had showered (turned out George won the race today!), got dressed into their casual clothes and returned to the kitchen, the curry was simmering away nicely and Harry had two more beers opened and ready for them. 

“Cheers.” He said chinking his half drunk bottle against the two of their full ones. 

Normally he’d have finished his first bottle by now and moved on to the second but he was pacing himself today. He wanted to relax enough but he definitely needed to stay sober for his difficult chat with Fred. No doubt he’d need some whiskey afterwards.

They stood around in the kitchen drinking beer and catching up from the week whilst the curry finished cooking. Harry learnt that the ‘No-Clue-Though’ game was all ready and the twins had set all the pieces to magically duplicated over the weekend in the basement workshop ready to hit the shelves Monday. 

This started another round of naming muggle games and trying to come up with their magical equivalents. Harry’s favorite idea was a version of Twister where as soon as you put your hand or foot on a colour your whole body would turn that colour. They were still trying to come up with a name for it but he had do doubt that they would have fun testing it. 

When the curry was finished Harry served it up with some rice while George said the table and Fred warmed up some naan. George also got another round of beers opened and they sat round the table to tuck in.

“Man, Harry, this is bloody good.” George said with his mouth half full.

Harry had to admit he was rather pleased with it and he’d forgotten how good it felt to cook something from scratch the muggle way and watch people he loved enjoy it. He definitely had to do this again. Maybe he would ask Dromeda if he could cook on Wednesday night, it would be great to cook something for Teddy. 

Harry’s mind wandered to the fact that they might be the only loved ones he could cook for after tonight. He really felt like he was ‘breaking up’ with Fred even though they’d never officially been together as such. Would Fred be ok with it? Would the twins not want him around anymore? Would the rest of the Weasleys hate him? Was Hermione right all along that this would only end up with someone getting hurt? 

“Harry?” Fred asked as Harry zoned back into the conversation.

“Oh er, sorry what? I er, wasn’t really listening.” He confessed.

“Yeah you were a bit zoned out there.” George pointed out as he was cleaning the final bits of curry off from his plate with the naan.

“I was just asking if you were ok.” Fred asked, looking at Harry with a slightly curious expression.

“Yeah… I’m fine.” Harry said slightly unconvinced. 

Fred and George gave each other a bit of a knowing look that they did sometimes and Harry once again had that feeling they both silently communicated something between them. 

George started quietly clearing up whilst Harry and Fred sat at the kitchen table wordlessly for a little while. It definitely seemed like the cheerful atmosphere in the flat had been subdued quite quickly. Harry typically had only eaten half his plate but George worked slitenly in the background boxing up all the leftovers and putting stasis charms on them. 

It was Fred who broke the silence as he seemed to sense what Harry was trying to say. “Did you, erm, come here to talk tonight?” Fred asked.

Fred always seemed to know what was going on in his mind without Harry having to say anything. It was one of those things that Harry liked about him. Harry didn’t always express himself well and sometimes he was stupidly blind to his own feelings. He was beginning to see though that he was a bit of an open book to those select few who knew how to read him. Oddly enough Daphne also seemed to be amongst that number too now even though he barely knew her. 

Harry couldn’t help but let out a small low laugh at how well Fred could read him. “Er, yeah I did actually.” He admitted.

Fred looked up at George who had come to stand next to the table in between Fred and Harry and they had another one of their silent conversations. 

George looked at his twin seriously but softly telling him everything he needed to know in that expression. “Just call me when you need me yeah?”

Fred nodded to him but was looking a bit sad all of a sudden and then George put one hand on Harry’s shoulder and the other on Fred’s and gave them both a gentle squeeze. Then he walked out of the room and Harry heard the words ‘Shell Cottage’ before the sound of the flames whoosed up to engulf George.

Harry was mildly confused about what had just happened and felt like he was missing something again. “He’s gone to Bill’s?” He asked Fred who just nodded. 

“He didn’t have to leave.” Harry said quietly.

“Might be for the best.” Fred shrugged. “He'll stay the night if we need him to.” He added casually without much sense of emotion.

Harry frowned slightly, he didn’t really think that was necessary and was Fred just saying this now or had they discussed it.

“Did you, erm, expect this then?” Harry asked without really knowing what he was asking.

Fred nodded slowly again. “Yeah, we thought you’d come for a chat sooner or later.” He said slightly sadly again.

“Oh.” Harry said simply. “Do you know what I’ve come to say?” He asked quietly, looking down at the table and avoiding Fred’s eye.

“I think so.” Fred said softly. “But you still need to be the one to say it.” He reached out and put a hand on the back of Harry’s neck and rubbed it softly. 

“But- how… how do you know?” Harry said, still frowning slightly.

“Oh, Harry.” Fred said affectionately. “You’re so cute when you’re confused.”

This made Harry turn and look into Fred’s eyes.

Fred met Harry’s soft gaze for a moment before elaborating. “It was only ever a matter of time…” Fred trailed off but then gathered himself. 

“You’re doing a lot of thinking at the moment, your life is changing… you’re finally stopping to think about what you exactly want. It’s a good thing Harry. Plus you haven’t been around as much… you didn’t stay the other night…” Fred shrugged again as it was just obvious but he was still stroking Harry’s neck tenderly.

“Right.” Harry said slowly, taking a deep breath.

“Come on.” Fred said standing up and holding his hand out to Harry. “Let’s go and sit on the sofa and get comfy.”

Harry stood as well taking Fred’s hand and allowing himself to be led to the sofa. They sat down on either end of the small sofa and half turned to face each other. Fred shifted their hands so they could be comfortable but they didn’t let go of each other. 

“So.” Fred said with a soft smile.

“So.” Harry repeatedly as he took another breath and started what he came to say. 

“I guess you’re right, of course, you’re always right!” Harry gave a soft laugh and Fred smiled then squeezed his hand in encouragement. 

“I have been doing a lot of thinking and yeah it relates to everything you’ve said in the past couple of weeks I guess. I’ve been living my life how everyone expected me to and putting the Ministry first, putting everyone else first not really thinking about what I actually wanted, and erm, now I’m starting to think about how I want my life to look like now that I have the time…” He trailed off wondering if this was the best way to start afterall.

He paused and then started another angle. “You remember that first serious conversation we had about three years ago?” He asked Fred with a fond smile.

Fred’s smile grew too but his eyes had a slight sadness to them as if remembering a happy time but knowing it was coming to an end. “The one we had after the first weekend of shagging every which way?!”

“Yeah…” Harry said laughing. “That was the most sex I’ve ever had in my life!”

“Yeah maybe for you! You need to get out more!” Fred teased.

“Nah, not my style you know that.” Harry said back smiling.

“So the conversation?” Fred prompted. “When you asked if we could be together properly and I said that I could never give you what you truly wanted.” He said running another hand over the top of Harry’s and playing with his fingers.

Fred was looking at his fingers and his hand as he caressed it, almost like he was willing himself to remember every detail of Harry’s hand.

Harry nodded. “You always kept telling me that year that I should still be putting myself out there, kept teasing me about finding Mr. Right... “

“But you haven’t been.” Fred finished as Harry trailed off.

“No I haven’t” Harry said quietly. 

“I know the deal, I’ve been telling myself over and over again for years that you're not my boyfriend and obviously I know that we’re not exclusive but I’ve been living my life as though we were. I told myself I was fine with the concept of an open relationship or whatever this is but I’m not really, it’s just not who I am. I’ve always thought that I was the one who couldn’t give you what you wanted. You needed more than I could give you so I was totally fine with you getting that elsewhere but you still made me happy so I thought it was working…”

“But it’s the other way round…” Fred interjected again and Harry looked like he was about to argue when Fred stopped him. 

“No Harry, it is, you know that deep down.” Fred said stubbornly and Harry shut his mouth. 

“I’m the one who can’t make you happy, I’ve always known it but I’ve been selfish keeping hold of you for this long… George has been telling me to end this for months now you know, he said you would never look for true love as long as you had me. He’s a sappy romantic just like you, but I’m just not like that and even though I knew he was right I just couldn’t bring myself to do it... He gave me a pretty hard talking to when I moaned to him about you not staying over on Wednesday. He said I was being selfish and he’s completely right... I wanted to keep you for myself knowing that you were giving yourself exclusively to me and I could never give you that back.” Fred sharply withdrew his hand from Harry and buried his own head in his hands. 

“No Fred.” Harry said scooting down the sofa and putting his ram round Fred to draw him close. “You’re not selfish, that’s honestly not how I see it. “Honestly, I think if you’d ended this sooner I wouldn’t have understood why. I think it was maybe something that I had to realise and I have to decide.”

Fred was nodding. “Yeah that’s what I told George, I always said that in time you would either find someone you love and then we’d end it or you would just decide that this isn’t what you wanted anymore, but I dunno, I still feel like maybe I’ve been holding you back.”

“No you haven’t Fred.” Harry said whilst still cuddling Fred. Fred had pulled his head out of his hands now and laid his head on Harry’s chest wrapping his arms around Harry’s waist.

Harry kissed the top of Fred’s head as he carried on. 

“You’ve done so much for me Fred, I have always been hopeless at relationships but my time with you has given me the confidence that maybe I can go out there and find someone now. I know that I won’t allow myself to be with someone else while I’m still with you, even though I could and I know I’d have your blessing it just still feels wrong to me. You know I never know what to say when someone asks me if I’m single? We’ve never really discussed it… but I always have this voice in my head that tells me I’m not single… I think I’d just prefer a clean break and then maybe I can try and go on a date or something…” He trailed off again and Fred was nodded and breathing gently into his chest.

Harry stroked the top of Fred’s short ginger hair but it wasn’t really long enough for him to run his fingers through it.

“You haven’t held me back at all.” Harry carried on. “I don’t always respond to people when they push me but you always know how and when I need it. You’ve always been there for me and always known what to do in whatever mood I’m in which isn't easy when I don’t know myself! I don’t think I could have survived these last few years and got to this point where I’m ready to do this now without you. In fact I know I wouldn’t. I wasn’t ready for a proper relationship but I didn’t want to be alone either. If anything I feel like I’ve been using you and I guess I was worried that you would think I was just dumping you now that I didn’t need you anymore or something.”

Harry sighed as Fred slowly sat up and untangled himself from Harry. Fred placed a hand on Harry’s chest and looked into his eyes. 

“I don’t think you’ve used me, not at all. That was the whole point Harry, you remember? That’s what I told you all those years ago, that I would be here for you for anything you needed until you found the one who could make you truly happy.” He insisted. 

“Harry I know you. You always carry guilt when you don’t need to, always blame yourself. You listen to me right now, you have nothing to feel guilty for. I knew what this was and I’ve always known it would end one day. I wanted it to end on your terms and it is so that’s good. Maybe I should have pushed you sooner to still go out and find happiness but you’re still young, you have time, you can find it now…. Maybe this is the right time for you. You’ve quit your job, you can do your writing… and you can find the future Mr. Potter!” Fred smiled affectionately.

“I don’t want you to think that I haven’t been happy with you though.” Harry said quietly.

“But you haven’t been Harry, not really.” Fred said softly.

“No-” Harry started but Fred interrupted.

“It’s ok, I’m not offended.” Fred assured him with a smile. “I know you’ve enjoyed it, we’ve had a lot of fun together. We’ve given each other some of the best years of our life and it will always be special but what I want more than anything is to see you truly happy not just content and settling for what you have. You deserve happiness more than anyone Harry, you’ve given so much to the world…”

They both had a tear in their eyes now. Harry had cried a fair few times in his life but he wasn’t a massive crier and he wasn’t sure if he’d ever seen Fred cry, not even at Percy’s funeral. He had the suspicion that the only person who’d ever seen him cry before was George. Fred buried his head back into Harry’s chest again.

“I do love you, you know, in a way.” He said quietly to the top of Fred’s head. “I’d never want you to think you didn’t mean anything to me.”

“I know Harry and I love you too as much as it is possible for me to love anyone.” Fred said softly back. “But I’m not in love with you in the way you want and I’m never going to want the marriage, kids, happily ever after thing, it’s just not me.”

“I know.” Harry said tenderly back to him. “You’ve always made that clear, you’ve never led me on or anything, I’ve always known what this is too.”

“But it’s over now.” Fred said in barely a whisper.

“Yes, I’m sorry.” Harry said simply. “I don’t want it to be in so many ways but I think it has to be.”

They said there quietly for a couple of minutes as Fred snuggled into Harry and Harry held him tight, scared to let him go. After a while Harry spoke again.

“I’m so scared Fred.” He whispered.

“What are you scared of?” Fred mumbled into Harry’s chest hiding the tear that was rolling down his cheek.

“I’m scared that I’m losing you and I’ll still never find what I really want… I don’t know how but I don’t want to be alone…” Saying it out loud was hard and he couldn’t stop the tears from spilling out the corner of his eyes and silently rolling down his face.

Fred took a moment to wipe the single tear away from Harry’s eyeline and then sat himself back up straight once again. When he looked into Harry’s eyes this time he had a look of fierce determination.

“Now you look at me.” He said firmly. “The Harry Potter I know is stupidly brave. He runs head first into things without a plan, he never second guesses himself he just trusts his instinct and goes for it. He just knows what he wants to achieve and he somehow makes it happen. Where is that Harry Potter?”

Harry laughed. “I’m not sure he really exists!”

“He does and he’s sitting right here!” Fred said stubbornly poking Harry in the ribs.

“Ow!” Harry cried out and then Fred’s poking turned into a tickle attack that had Harry almost falling off the sofa with laughter as they rolled around each other.

“Stop, stop!” He cried out breathlessly but Fred ignored him. Harry then effortlessly shot him a gentle stinging hex that made Fred stop and sit up sharply.

“Ouch! You bastard! That’s cheating!” He sulked rubbing his thigh where the hex had landed.

“We didn’t stipulate any rules!” Harry insisted with a wink.

“You know it’s too bad you’re not into kinky sex, your wandless magic could come in handy!” Fred said with a wink of his own.

“Yeah I know! I’m sorry I’m boring!” Harry said, rolling his eyes.

“You’re not boring Harry.” Fred said more seriously. “You’re just a hopeless romantic and there’s nothing wrong with that. You’re going to make one lucky guy so damn happy one day.” He said kindly. 

“I hope so.” Harry said quietly.

“You will.” Fred said simply. “I get why you’re scared, going on vanilla dates like that terrifies me! Meeting people for sex is much easier! But Harry... You know you’re not losing me right?”

Harry looked at him but didn’t say anything. Fred reached over and took Harry’s hand gently again and pulled it into his lap. 

“I’m still going to be here for you as your friend, always.” Fred said genuinely. “I promise I’ll keep my hands off you, even though it will be hard! ...but you’re always going to be welcome here whenever you want. In fact, I’ll be pretty upset if you don’t still come and hang out with us.”

“Thanks, I will, I promise.” Harry said sincerely.

“I, erm, I…” Fred started looking a bit uncharacteristically nervous.

“What?” Asked Harry gently, encouraging him to continue.

“I have no right to ask this of you Harry, but we’ve established that I’m selfish… Would you… would you stay with me tonight? Give me one last night?” Fred all but whispered towards the end and wouldn’t meet Harry’s eye.

Harry gently forced Fred’s face upwards, looked into his eyes and whispered one soft word back at him. 

“Yes.”

*~*

Harry was getting ready for his dinner at the Greengrass estate reflecting again on his last night with Fred. Overall it had gone better than he could have ever hoped. It had still been hard and quite emotional but it had also been strangely nice. He’d started the day feeling lighter and more positive than he had for a while; he was ready for a fresh new start. He might have known that Fred would understand, the man was the most understanding person Harry had ever known. He was easy going and just had a way of rolling with whatever life threw at him. 

Harry still carried some feelings of guilt but he knew that Fred would be ok. He promised himself he would make every effort to go round the flat and act as normal as possible with the twins in the next week and show Fred that he still wanted to be part of his life. George had flooed back to the flat this morning complaining that the girls had woken him up by jumping on his bed at 5 o’clock in the morning at Shell Cottage. Fred pointed out that was the main reason he didn’t want kids. 

They’d had a nice breakfast the three of them and it had almost felt normal but Harry was used to Fred’s little touches, a kiss here and there and the touch of a hand. He found himself looking for them this morning and being disappointed when they weren’t there. Fred had been strangely upbeat though, Harry was worried he’d be quiet and sad but he’d been loud and joking away as normal. Cleary Harry’s concerns about hurting him had been misplaced, he’d seemed fine. 

Harry was also strangely fine too. There was a tinge of sadness when Harry looked around his bedroom at Grimmauld Place knowing that he would be back to sleeping here alone every night which he hated, sleeping in Fred’s bed last night had been so comforting and familiar, it was that he would miss more than anything. His four poster bed here was much larger and that made it feel so much emptier to Harry. Maybe one day he would find someone to share it with. Despite the fact that he still had absolutely no idea how to make it happen from here, Harry felt like he’d taken the first step towards securing his future happiness with this vague figure of a man and little children of their own coming into his head just that little bit clearer.

Harry felt like maybe with this fresh start he could finally start actually writing the book next week rather than just talking about it, but there was one more conversation left to have. So far everyone he had spoken to have been so supportive and said they'd be honoured to be mentioned. Everyone had assured Harry that they trusted him to write it as he saw it. They seemed to mostly care about Harry’s healing process and what he would get out of writing the book rather than the book itself. He couldn’t help but feel like Draco would have a different attitude towards it. Only one way to find out really!

Last time he’d met Daphne he’d worn smart jeans and a casual shirt but he’d felt underdressed the whole evening. Having seen what sort of place she recommended he couldn’t help but think her house would probably be very fancy indeed. Jeans would not do tonight. He didn’t particularly like wearing dress robes, he knew they were common in the wizarding world and Harry did own a few that he’d had to wear for Ministry events over the years but he did prefer Muggle suits if he had to look formal. 

He had a fair few suits, when he’d started buying them he always stuck to black, grey or navy but Fred had convinced him to get some coloured suits too even if they weren’t quite as bright as the ones he favoured! Harry normally found himself mixing and matching different items from the three pieces suits just to add a pop of colour without being over the top.

Over the years he had developed more of a sense of style than he used to have but he still wasn’t great at it and often never left himself enough time to get ready properly which had been exactly what happened today. He pulled out his favorite pair of black suit trousers and crisp stiff collared white shirt. He left the shirt slightly open at the neck and tucked it into his trousers securing them with a black leather belt that had a simple silver buckle in the centre. Then he just slipped his favourite emerald green suit jacket over the top and finished the outfit with his smart shiny black shoes. 

He wasn’t really much of a jewellery man but on formal occasions he did wear the Potter ring that he’d discovered in his vault. When he’d asked Andromeda about it she said that the male head of the household usually wore their family crest ring on the smallest finger on their dominant hand. He wondered why his father had preferred to keep it in the vault rather than wear it but then it did seem a bit too poncy to wear daily. Tonight though he thought he’d wear it. He was going to a pureblood family home and although he didn’t know much about pureblood customs, part of him wanted to impress. 

He used to think the whole ‘pureblood’ thing was just all an excuse for posh evil wizards to act superior. Clearly a lot of the war had been based around ideas of pureblood supremacy and those notions still sickened him. In the years after though a lot of innocent pure-bloods had been victimised in the same way that muggle-borns had during the war and that wasn’t right either. 

During his time at the Ministry he had helped to find balance in the world again and things had settled down now. Harry had spent a lot of time going through the Black and the Potter family vaults trying to understand more about the old families history. Pureblood supremacy was obviously not something he would ever support but he did understand why some of the families would want to maintain their old traditions.

Part of him was jealous that he’d never grown up with Potter family traditions and often wondered what the old Potter generations that came before him were like. Wearing this ring was just his way of linking back to the old wizarding family that he knew nothing about but that he was now head of. He was the last Potter but he hoped that he could pass on the name to his children and that they could start a whole new series of Potter traditions one day. 

Looking at the watch the Weasleys had given him when he came of age that he still wore on his left wrist, he realised he’d spent too much time daydreaming and he was almost in danger of being late. He didn’t even bother looking at his hair, he just applied some aftershave, smiled to himself as he remembered who had made it, and then apparated on the spot thinking about the address Daphne had given him. 

When he arrived at the gate he was pleasantly surprised by what he saw. He was worried he’d be going somewhere like Malfoy Manor. He shuddered as he remembered the grand but dark and oppressive house. What he saw though was anything but dark, it was really rather beautiful. Past the white gates was a broad stone path leading to a larger white Georgian style manor house. It wasn’t as big as Malfoy Manor but it was still rather sizable. 

The building was very symmetrical with large white pillars marking the middle of the property and supporting the upstairs balcony that stood over the large green front door. The right and the left sides of the house were slightly recessed and half covered in ivy which helped soften the whole place and make it look very romantic. In fact there was lots of bright greenery around but it wasn’t wild, it was neat and well maintained. 

Either side of the path lay a very neat vibrant green lawn and Harry smiled thinking that this definitely was ‘Greengrass’ indeed. To the right of the house in the background stood a separate building further away from the main house. It was white as well but slightly more of a ‘cottage’ style, even though it was still larger than the average house. To the left of the main house in the distance Harry could make out some stables and various other outbuildings. 

Harry could now see a female figure coming down the main path to greet him who he thought was Daphne. He placed a hand on the elegant white gates and they melted away under his touch to allow him entry so he walked down the path to meet her. As he got close she stood and waited then held out her hand to him in a very ladylike fashion. Unsure exactly what the proper etiquette was here, Harry gently took her hand and bent down slightly to give it a tiny chaste kiss which Daphne seemed to approve of.

“Evening Daphne.” Harry said with a soft smile as he stood back up.

“Ooh Mr. Potter, such a shame, you were doing so well.” Daphne said back at him in mock disapproval.

He frowned, seemingly confused as to what he’d done wrong and why he was suddenly ‘Mr Potter’ again. Daphne gave a small femine chuckle at his expression.

“Really on the first greeting you should address me as ‘Miss Greengrass’ again especially as you are coming to my family home for the first time.” She explained in amusement. “After the initial formal greeting you could then go back to calling me Daphne but we’ll let it slide.” 

“Oh, er, right sorry” Harry stumbled. “I wasn’t really brought up with, erm, this…”

“Relax Harry.” Daphne said breaking out into a friendly smile and losing her stiff posture. “I was only teasing you. Come on.”

She turned back towards the house and held out her arm which Harry took and allowed himself to be escorted to the front door. Harry breathed a sigh of relief and allowed himself to relax too. 

“This place is really beautiful.” He said honestly, still looking around and taking in all the details of the estate.

“Yes, thank you, it is rather lovely.” Daphne agreed although not arrogantly.

“So you have two houses?!” He said gesturing over to the other one said further back which was almost out of sight now as they neared the main house.

“That’s the dowager house.” She explained. “My grandmother lives there, but don’t worry she won’t bother us. Also My parents and Astoria are having dinner with my future brother-in-law and his parents so that’s good!”

“Oh, right, ok, er, good then?” Harry said awkwardly, not really sure if he should agree or not.

Daphne chuckled again seemingly enjoying Harry’s mild discomfort. They walked together for a few more steps before getting to the front door. Harry held back waiting for Daphne to open it or usher him but she stopped just in front of the door and turned to him before they went inside.

“So, how are you Harry?” She asked kindly but giving him that scrutinising look again.

“Erm, yeah, I’m good actually thanks. How are you?” He asked back.

“Very well thank you.” Daphne smiled. 

Harry couldn’t help but think what Daphne really wanted to know but was too polite to ask.

“I erm, talked to Fred.” He said quietly.

Daphne, to her credit, was still acting surprised that Harry brought it up. 

“Oh” She said casually. “And?” She asked simply with a smile and a slightly raised eyebrow.

“It was good.” Harry said with a smile. “You were right and erm, well I’m still a bit nervous about it but I’m definitely single now and we’ll see what happens.” He said elaborating slightly.

“Good, I’m glad.” She said fondly. “Now come on, let’s go inside.”

She opened the door and then Harry remembered again that it wasn’t just going to be a pleasant evening with Daphne.

“Is Mal- er Draco already here?” He asked slightly nervously.

“Yes him and Blaise are having drinks in the sitting room.” Daphne said as they both stepped out into the foyer.

“Oh er, as in Zabini?” Harry asked. 

Daphne nodded. “Yes, I hope that’s ok but he’s a dear friend of ours and four is rather a nice number. I thought it would help a bit.”

“And erm, Draco, was he erm ok when you told him?” He said shifting awkwardly. 

“Well, he had a range of emotions…” Daphne had her little mischievous smile back. “But it will all be fine Harry don’t worry. This way.”

Daphne started leading him to where he assumed drinks were being served. For the first time Harry really looked at her. She was wearing a long cream A-line skirt, a thin gold belt, a navy off the shoulder top and a string of pearls.

“You look lovely tonight Daphne.” Harry said, walking through the light large hallway. “Sorry I should have said earlier.”

“Thank you Harry, you look rather dapper yourself.” Daphne smiled back.

Daphne waved the wide white door open and the sitting room was revealed. It was a large square room with lots of light coming through the wide windows. The walls were covered in cream wooden panels and the floor was a dark brown wood. In the middle of the room was a large brown and green rug and on it was a little collection of formal green and brown sofas and armchairs. There were lots of indoor plants to add greenery to the room and ornate portraits and ornaments. It was the most beautiful room Harry had ever been in. 

Zabini and Draco were standing by the fireplace with drinks in their hand talking in low voices but they stopped and turned when Daphne entered the room.

“Harry, you obviously know my other guests but maybe another introduction would be in order for a proper fresh start.” Daphne said stepping further into the room and smiling.

“I’m sure first names all round would be fine with everyone here.” She said as a statement rather than a question but Blaise nodded anyway and stepped forward to come and meet Harry.

“Blaise.” He said simply holding out his hand.

Blaise was clearly a man of few words but he seemed friendly enough. In fact he wasn’t hiding the fact that he was eyeing Harry over and gave a little suggestive eyebrow raise and a nod approving what he saw. This made Harry flush slightly. It wasn’t like he hadn’t seen it before. He often got flirtatious looks from witches and wizards if he ever went out but he assumed that was just because of who he was. Although admittedly it did happen in the muggle world now too so he gathered he was attractive on some level.

“Er, right, yeah hi, call me Harry I guess then.” Harry stammered and shook Blaise’s hand.

His eyes wandered to Draco who hadn’t moved and was casually leaning against the fireplace with a glass of champagne is his left hand looking straight at Harry with an unreadable expression. 

There was no doubt that this man was Draco Malfoy yet at the same time he looked different to how Harry had remembered. He was taller than Harry but not as tall as Blaise, and he slimmer than both of them. In fact he was slimmer than Harry even remembered him being when he saw him as Pierre a couple of weeks before. He’d always been slim and it suited him but this version of him was almost too skinny. 

His signature pale skin contrasted against the black shirt he was wearing and his shiny grey skinny fit slacks really brought out his eyes. Harry remembered his eyes as grey and cold but these were silver, sparkly and full of life, they were rather fascinating actually. 

The Malfoy white blond hair was still apparent but it was different to Harry had ever seen it. It was longer than he’d had it during the war but definitely not long enough to look like Lucius and not slicked back like he’d worn it when it was longer at school. He had a left side parting and the hair there was tucked behind his left ear, the rest of his glossy hair was effortlessly flowing down the right side of his face in a slight soft wave stopping just below his jawline. 

Clearly he used his own products, Harry thought to himself smiling, his skin and his hair were simply flawless. He could almost be seen as slightly feminine with his smooth soft skin and silky hair, except his chiseled jaw was incredibly masculine. His clothes weren’t quite as fancy as Harry thought they would be, he had a simple black belt and black shoes and no fancy jewellery. They were nice though, they suited him and Harry thought he liked this more ‘down-to-earth’ Draco. 

Harry realised he’d been very obviously staring Draco up and down for a full minute now. Draco still hadn’t moved but he now had a slightly raised eyebrow at Harry in amusement. Damnit, he hadn’t been staring too much had he? It wasn’t like he found the man attractive or anything he was just intrigued about what he looked like now. 

He cleared his throat and stepped forward a couple of steps towards Draco as clearly the other man was not going to make the first move.

Harry looked Draco right in the eye and smiled then held out his hand.

“Hi.” He said simply still not sure what to call him. 

Daphne had said first names but he felt like he needed Draco’s permission first for some reason. Although he knew that he wasn’t a Malfoy anymore so didn’t want to offend him.

Draco was still eyeing him carefully but then elegantly moved off the fireplace and took one step forward to close the gap.

“Potter.” He said, taking his hand.

“Erm, you can call me Harry.” Harry said slightly awkwardly as Draco ended the brief handshake. 

“I most certainly will not!” Draco said stubbornly. “Sorry, but you’ll always be Potter to me!”

Harry sighed. Here was the awkward pigheaded git he knew.

“Whatever.” He said, shrugging and not bothering to keep the mildly irritated tone out of his voice. “And what am I supposed to call you?!”

Draco opened his mouth to speak but then thought better of it and frowned. 

Harry took it as his opportunity to talk. “Look, I know you’re not a Malfoy anymore-”

Draco immediately tensed up and Harry rushed on really not wanting to start things off on the wrong foot.

“-I don’t know why and I’m not asking, it’s none of my business-”

“Damn right.” Draco muttered but he did look slightly more relaxed. 

Harry continued. “-but I’m not going to call you Black, that’s just weird and-”

“How do you know my name?!” Draco snapped immediately standing up stiffly. His eyes no longer sparkled but they were stormy grey and fierce.

“Oh, er, sorry, erm, no one told me or anything and I wasn’t trying to find out.” Harry stammered out nervously suddenly thinking he might have said something wrong. “It’s just in my house, erm, I live in the Black family home now, erm, if you didn’t know… anyway you’re on the family tapestry in the drawing room and er, well it’s magical I guess so it changed your name.” 

Harry was running his hand through his hair as he did when he was nervous.

Draco didn’t seem happy but he had relaxed slightly. It seemed like he accepted the source of Harry’s knowledge and he recovered well.

“Right, of course.” Draco said smoothing down his shirt with his right hand and recovering his composure. “That makes sense, my apologies I’m just very private about my life and my name change is not common knowledge. I would appreciate it if you kept the knowledge to yourself.”

Harry blinked in surprise, did Draco just apologise to him for snapping when, in Harry’s opinion, his behaviour had been justified. A different man indeed.

“It’s fine, honestly, I understand, erm, no need to explain and erm, I’m not going to tell anyone, it’s all good.” Harry assured him honestly.

Initially Draco looked relieved and nodded in thanks. Then he thought of something and a flicker of worry came across his face which he tried to disguise but Harry just caught it.

“Has, erm, anyone else seen it at your home?” He said slowly.

Harry shook his head casually. “No, I never have anyone over. It was only boredom that I happened to be in that room the other day myself. It hasn’t been used in years.” He shrugged. “I mean, my house elf has seen it of course but I can tell him never to mention it if it’s a problem, not that anyone else ever sees him… Besides it made his day, he’s always worshipped you!” Harry smiled as he tried to lighten the mood.

“Right. OK.” Draco said slowly looking at the ground still. Then he raised his head to look at Harry. “Thank you.” He said somewhat stiffly.

Wow, an apology and a thank you from Draco in the space of five minutes. This was a man he could at least respect. He did seem to be genuinely concerned about his name and people finding out. Harry always did his best to protect anyone else’s privacy as he understood the issue and he was a man of his word. Draco also seemed to be accepting his word and trusting him which must be hard for him to do.

“No problem.” Harry said genuinely, then thought that maybe he could push it a little as they had some sort of understanding now.

“Look, erm, do we think we could just be Harry and Draco now?” He asked the man looking at him directly in the eye again and tried to seem casual.

Draco took a deep breath and returned Harry’s look, this seemed to be a big deal for him but when he spoke there was an acceptance in his voice.

“Fine.” He said nodding once.

There was a brief moment of silence and then a female voice cut through the tension.

“Excellent, well now that’s all sorted perhaps you’d like a drink Harry?” Daphne said stepping forward into view.

Harry had quite forgotten she was there and turned to see Blaise again too. Both Daphne and Blaise looked slightly amused but satisfied by the interaction they had just witnessed.

“Yes please Daphne!” Harry said enthusiastically. 

“What would you like?” She asked politely whilst waving her wand and magically topping up Blaise and Draco’s vintage champagne glasses and summoning one for herself.

“At this point anything alcoholic would be welcome!” Harry laughed honestly and the others in the room smiled at that.

Daphne summoned a fourth glass and poured the rest of the bottle into it before it floated over to Harry. She then moved into the centre of the room in an effortlessly commanding way. 

“Well boys, thank you all for coming tonight, it is an honour to have you in my family home.” She said smiling sweetly looking at them all in turn before raising her glass. “Shall we toast to new beginnings and new friendships?” 

The three men nodded politely and raised their glasses. “New beginnings.” They chimed and all took a sip.

Daphne then took a seat in the forest green armchair behind her elegantly tucked her skirt underneath her. The guys followed her lead with Blaise and Draco sitting at either end of the largest brown sofa and Harry relaxing on the smaller one by himself. 

Harry cleared his throat and decided to just go for and strike up a conversation first.

“I, erm, have to thank you for the gift basket, er, Draco.” Even though he’d been referring to him as Draco in his head for the past couple of days it did seem odd to say it out loud to the man. “It really was pretty impressive and Hermione absolutely loved it.”

Draco looked up and did have a small but genuine smile on his face, Harry could also detect the pride in his eyes which were sparkling once again.

“I’m pleased that it was to your satisfaction and that Mrs Granger-Weasley liked it.” Draco said a bit too formally for Harry’s liking but at least it was friendly. It was a start.

“Yes I expect she’ll be bringing some more business your way, I didn’t tell her who you were obviously, I wouldn’t do that.” Harry quickly clarified as Draco looked slightly concerned again. “But she was impressed with, erm, Pierre’s work.”

Blaise raised an eyebrow at Draco and smiled at him. Harry thought it must be some kind of private joke but he ignored it.

“Well any business is appreciated.” Draco said politely.

“You, er, have done really well with your business, it’s good.” Harry said honestly.

Draco looked like he appreciated the comment but didn’t respond. Well he did always like flattery, Harry thought to himself, although he was slightly annoyed about the fact that he was making much more of an effort with this ‘new friendship’ than Draco was.

Suddenly this felt like it was going to be a long evening

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I actually got really sad writing this chapter when I had to 'split up' Fred and Harry!  
> Obviously this is a Drarry fic so it was never supposed to last and I clearly think that Harry and Draco belong together but as I wrote this story I began to quite like Fred and Harry together! Is it just me?! Maybe I should write another short story where Fred realises that he can be the one to make Harry happy... hmm.. something for the future maybe if anyone wants to see this!  
> Eager to hear your thoughts on this chapter please I love reading your comments!  
> I didn't want Fred or Harry to come across as 'the bad guy' hopefully you can understand both of their perspectives and what this 'relationship' has been for both of them.


	10. Draco: Saturday 24th September

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The continuation of the dinner scene at Daphne's but from Draco's perspective now!  
> Long chapter that is literally all just the dinner and nothing else. It is quite intense so be warned but hopefully it's OK! It's the conversation between these two emotional men that we've been waiting for!  
> Hope you enjoy!

Well here he was sitting in Daphne’s sitting room sipping champagne with her, Blaise and Harry bloody Potter who apparently he was now supposed to call Harry. That wouldn’t do at all, he’d have to just not address him. Hearing his own name in Potter’s voice was strange but to make matters worse the man looked damn good and was making Draco feel underdressed which he hated. He didn’t exactly have an abundance of expensive clothes to choose from now and didn’t feel like he had to wear a jacket but Potter was wearing the most exquisite emerald green suit jacket that looked annoyingly good on him. 

The white shirt he was wearing under it was open at the collar in quite a sexy way and made his olive skin look even more tanned. If Draco was meeting him as a stranger for the first time he would have most definitely tried to flirt with him, he couldn’t remember being this attracted to a man… well ever, but this was Potter, he couldn’t flirt with Potter. He’d always had a bit of a type with the guys he hooked up with in France and now he was beginning to suspect the source of this.

The other rather annoying thing was that Potter was fashing that stupid family crest ring, he was even wearing it on the right bloody finger. Draco thought to himself as he automatically rubbed the gap on his finger where his heir ring should be. Lucius still had the proper Malfoy family ring of course but here Potter was bragging that he was the head of his own old wizarding family. Potter probably had the bloody Black family ring too, surely it would be in the vault, Draco thought bitterly. It should be his, then at least he could be the head of one wizarding family even if he wasn’t going to pass it down to anyone. 

Draco was far too distracted to listen to the polite conversation that was happening between the other three. Seemingly Potter had just asked Blaise about his work so it wasn’t like he was missing anything important. It was enough of an effort just to keep his emotions in check. He was usually good at this, for years he’d been able to play a part well and just converse naturally without feeling anything on the inside. 

So far through this evening though he’d gone from wanting to thoroughly snog Potter all the way through wanting to punch him in his perfect face. Potter was the one person who could annoy him and arouse him all at once to this level. This friendship thing was never going to work. He’d agreed to one evening where he would listen to whatever it was that Potter supposedly had to ask him and then he would leave. They could be polite acquaintances and if Potter wanted to spend more of his money at the shop then Draco would happily accept it but that would be that.

Potter knew more about Draco’s private life than he would have liked which had angered and feared him but when the man had so easily promised not to tell anyone and assured Draco he understood, Draco found himself wanting to trust him. It was absurd, how could he trust a man who had hated him and had every right to still hate him, yet he didn’t seem to. Draco had been trying to work out if it was all an act but the Potter he knew was easy to read to those who knew how. He prided himself on being one of the few who could seeing as he was naturally gifted at reading people anyway and he had spent years studying Potter’s face and body language. He told himself that it was because it was important to know as much as you could about your enemies and that had been part of the reason. The other reason for the staring… well the less said about that the better.

“Right well, shall we go through for Dinner?” Daphne said after another couple of minutes of polite conversation and the champaged had all been drunk.

“Yes, lets.” Blaise said standing up.

He walked over to Daphne’s chair and held his arm out like a gentleman so that she could take it as she rose up to her feet.

“I thought we’d just use the small dining room tonight.” She pointed to a door on her right that blended into the wooden paneled wall so well that Draco hadn’t even noticed it. 

“No need for the formal dining room, after all we’re all friends here.” She said sweetly.

With that her and Blaise let the way.

Potter stood up and glanced over to Draco who had also stood up besides him. He waved through the air in front of him with some sort of effortless grace meaning for Draco to go first. Hmm, he does have some sort of manners after all then, thought Draco. He stood up without a second look at Potter and went through the now open door into the smaller of the two dining rooms. 

He’d actually never been in this room, despite all the times he’d dined here. There had been the dinner parties that all the pureblood families took turns in hosting before the war which he’d been dragged along to by his mother and father and then more recently the formal courting dinners during his fake engagement to Daphne but they had all taken place in the much larger and grander dining room. The smaller one was only really used for family meals but it probably would be much nicer for tonight.

Walking into the room he was pleased to find it as light and airy as the sitting room they’d just come from. He had grown up with the dark opulent rooms in the Manor and the Slytherin dorms. The darkness used to be comforting to him as that was all he knew but now he found rooms like that gloomy and depressing. Unfortunately his current flat was a bit like that too, the Greengrass estate seemed to understand that you could still have grandeur in a much lighter colour palette. 

The small dining room wasn’t really that small in reality but it still had a cosy feel to it. The bottom half of the walls were covered in wooden panels and then above the trim the wall was smooth paint but the two textures of the wall were in the exact same shade of powder blue. The rectangular table had six chairs around it comfortably, although only four places settings were set. The table was a sturdy black wood and the chair legs matched although the seats were upholstered in a powder blue cushioned material. The settings on the table were very nice but not over the top and everything had been done in white and silver. Over the table hung a simple but still beautiful silver chandelier. 

Blaise and Daphne sat opposite each other and as Draco took a seat next to Blaise he realised to his annoyance that Potter would have to sit opposite him. Great now he would have to look at his stupidly handsome face all through dinner. As Potter sat down he flashed a friendly smile at Draco. Why did he have to be so nice? It was unnerving Draco no end. 

Blaise was playing the host this time round as he summoned a bottle of red and a bottle of chilled white from the wine rack in the corner. He opened both and was floating them above the table.

“Daphne?” He asked.

“White please.” She said with a smile as he magically filled her glass. 

“Draco?” Blaise said hoovering the bottles back to their side of the table.

“What’s on the menu tonight Daphne?” He asked politely.

“I’m not entirely sure to be honest, the house elves are taking care of it all. They are so good!” Daphne said cheerfully. “The brief I gave them was ‘modern British’, I thought it might make Harry feel more at home! I think the main course is steak.” 

Draco realised that the bottles were still hoovering by him and Blaise was waiting patiently with his wand.

“Red then please Blaise.” He said simply.

The truth was he wasn’t a massive drinker nowadays. He indulged a couple of times in nights out in Paris as it did help him forget but it also made him feel slightly out of control which he did not like at all. He had his own methods of forgetting things and preferred to keep his wits about him. He did like the taste of wine and enjoyed it as a pairing to food but he never over-indulgenced. 

“Er, same please.” Harry said as Blaise hoovered the bottles over to him and then finally he poured himself a glass of red too.

Just then a female house elf in a very pretty green apron with the Greengrass family crest embroidered on it in gold appeared in the room hoovering four plates and set them in front of each one proudly.

She bowed and spoke as she stood up in a high squeaky voice. “Miss Greengrass and her very welcome guests be eating cheddar and leek tartlets for starters.”

“Thank you Lissey.” Daphne said smiling fondly at the elf.

“Yes, thanks it looks delicious.” Potter spoke to the elf with a grateful politeness.

“Oh, Lissey is so pleased that Master Harry Potter be thinking so. It is an honour to cook for you sir.” The house elf bowed again beaming at Potter.

Of course the bloody man is kind to house elves and they all worship him, Draco thought to himself but he reminded himself to be polite too and said a simple thanks to the elf at the same time as Blaise. 

Lissey vanished again and Draco looked down at the plates for the first time. The little pastry did indeed look delicious and was topped with a lovely little rocket salad. He frowned though as he looked around and saw that his was slightly bigger than everyone else's. Draco raised his eyebrows at Daphne.

“What?” She said innocently back at him catching his expression. “You need to eat more Draco and you know it so don’t look at me like that! You’re far too skinny!”

“I’m just far too busy to eat that’s all!” He said stubbornly.

The last thing he needed was for Potter to think he was too poor to feed himself or that he didn’t really know how, it was a bloody embarrassment. Secretly though he was pleased at his bigger portion and he knew Daphne was only doing it because she cared. It was true, he had lost weight but he was healthy enough still, he made sure to tailor the sustenance potions to his exact needs so he could get all the right vitamins and minerals.

Potter was looking at him with a slightly concerned look that just made Draco angry so he looked away and tucked into his tart. It was very nice.

“This is lovely Daphne.” Potter commented politely.

Daphne laughed. “Well as we’ve all just seen I can’t pretend to have cooked it but Lissey will be pleased you liked it. I got the impression you didn’t care too much for the french food?” 

“Erm, well it’s not that I don’t like them or anything, I’m really not fussy I’ll eat anything.” Potter clarified in his not-so-eloquent way. “I just haven’t had much of it I guess. I, erm, I guess I’ve been quite sheltered and not really experienced food from other countries.”

“That’s quite alright.” Daphne said. “Between us I’m sure we can widen your cultural experiences.” She said smiling. “Did you know that Blaise’s mother is Italian?”

“Oh, er, no I didn’t know that.” Potter said politely. “So, do you still have family in Italy?” He asked Blaise across the table. 

“Yes my mother moved back there after the war and my maternal grandparents live out there still. Daphne and I visit them at least twice a year and last time Draco came too.” Blaise said back in a friendly manner.

“Oh yes, any excuse to go to Italy, it really is one of my favorite places. You should definitely come with us next time Harry.” Daphne said in her usual warm, chatty tone.

Draco nearly choked on his food but fortunately he recovered without anyone noticing. What the bloody hell was she doing inviting Potter to bloody Italy with them! Was this to mean that the prat was going to become a regular addition to their little group? Daphne really did seem quite set on becoming his friend and Drcao wasn’t quite sure why. Perhaps she was just trying to raise her own social standing, although that sounded more like Astoria than Daphne. Contrary to what people might believe Daphne didn’t really care about anyone’s reputation, she became friends with people who interested her not because of how much money they had or what their connections were.

“Oh, er, it’s fine I wouldn’t want to intrude.” Potter said somewhat awkwardly.

“You wouldn’t be, it would be fun!” Daphne exclaimed. “Maybe next time we eat we should go to Blaise’s favorite Italian place in London, the food there is amazing!”

“Sure.” Potter said with a more confident voice. “That sounds nice.”

“So your favorite food is French right Draco?” Potter looked at him and spoke so casually as if they’d been best friends for years but Draco could still see the flicker of uncertainty in those eyes he knew so well.

“Yes, that’s correct.” Draco said formally. 

He wasn’t giving Potter anymore than he needed, he couldn’t encourage this friendship. He wanted it badly of course he did but it just wouldn’t do. In the back of his mind he still thought Potter must be being nice to him for self-serving reasons, there was still the issue of what he wanted to talk to Draco in the first place. He was probably just being nice to him because he wanted something and if that was the case then Draco wasn’t going to be giving away his friendship just like that and then watch it get snatched away. If someone wanted to be friends with him they’d have to earn it. It took Blaise and Daphne years to get him to open up and be proper friends with him.

“So, erm, did you really live in France or is that just part of the secret identity?” Potter asked nervously.

Why does he even want to know?! Draco thought to himself somewhat annoyed.

“I really did live in France.” Draco said indignantly. “I’m not a liar Potter, I may protect some of the truth and I do what I need to in certain situations but I’m still a man of honour!”

“I wasn’t implying anything by it!” Potter said suddenly. “I’m just trying to pry or anything I’m just trying to get to know you that’s all.” He said sounding mildly exasperated. 

Draco wanted so badly to believe that the man wanted to get to know Draco, he wanted to believe that Potter could forgive and forget and simply be friends with him but it couldn’t possibly be that simple. He could give him some information for, for the sake of polite dinner conversation. He noticed Daphne giving him an encouraging looked from across the table and he sighed inwardly.

“I moved to France seven years ago to finish my education, which I told you I just left out when exactly and... Lucius-” (he never referred to him as his father anymore) “really does have French ancestry. There is a house there which I used when I completed my studies. I-”

He started thinking carefully about his next words. He would stick to facts and not bring feelings into it.

“I wanted to decide on my own direction in life and make my own way in the world. Potions was the best way to do that, I’m good at it and if you have a good head for business too, which fortunately I have, then it can be a real money maker.” He spoke clearly and confidently but was careful not to sound arrogant.

“Paris also happens to be one of the best places in the world to study alchemy which I was keen to bring into my potions knowledge. It’s where Nicholas Flamel studied after he left Beauxbatons. I was trained by an apprentice he had later on in his life.” He said with a hint of pride before picking up his fork again.

“Impressive.” Potter said, seemingly sincere and putting down his wine glass which was already empty. “So you came back to the UK and started a mail order business first and now have the shop. It really is something to build all that stock up from scratch. I’m always in awe of Fred and George when I get to witness the process of having an initial product idea and then watching it go all the way through the development process. I could never be that creative!” He said happily, keeping the conversation light and nodding at Blaise who topped up his wine. 

Suddenly Draco was remembering all the hangover potions that had been on Potter’s order list over the past two years and wondering if the man indulgenced a bit too much. If he really did go through all those dreamless sleep potions and calming draughts himself then it was a bit worrying, they did have mildly addictive properties particularly the dreamless sleep. Perhaps Draco could develop one that didn’t.

“Draco is excellent at what he does.” Daphne said proudly, bringing Draco back to the present conversation.

“Well you run the shop very well from what I’ve seen!” Harry smiled at her.

“Thank you! I’m rather enjoying it actually.” Daphne said as the others continued to eat their starters. “I’m beginning to wonder how on earth I filled my time at this boring estate before I was a working lady! Tori doesn’t understand it at all, for her the idea of working is abhorrent! She has always been happy to rely on mummy and daddy and soon Ernest will provide everything she needs I’m sure!”

“When is the wedding?” Potter asked politely. “You must all be excited.”

“Quite soon actually! They’re getting married on Halloween, how unoriginal!” Daphne said, rolling her eyes. “The whole thing will be ridiculously extravagant too and everyone is just so sickeningly happy about it!”

“Oh come on Daph, you know you’re happy for her!” Blaise said teasingly.

“Yes well, I suppose I am. The Macmillians do seem like a nice family, they at least have shown the world that it is possible to be pureblood and not be evil which I am grateful for!” She said sincerely but with a touch of humour.

“The Macmillians?” Potter looked up. “You said Ernest, do you mean Ernie from our year?”

“Yes,” Blaise said. “Daphne just calls him Ernest to wind him up as he doesn’t like it.”

“I knew him quite well at school. I thought he was a bit pompous at first but he’s a good guy! I don’t know your sister but I’m sure he’ll look after her.” Potter said, smiling that dashing smile again. “He works at the Ministry doesn’t he? I know at first he was helping a lot get things… erm, settled. I didn’t see him much to be fair but Hermione’s department worked with him a lot, he’s in the International Magical Office of Law right and he’s in the Wizengamot? Or at least he was… we kind of lost touch I guess…” Potter trailed off awkwardly.

“Yes that’s right. He’s doing very well for himself there!” Daphne said. “He might be in the running to become Minister himself one day you know.”

Potter laughed. “I expect Hermione might give him a run for his money, he might have to settle for being her deputy!”

“Maybe.” Daphne smiled. “You really should come to the wedding Harry! Tori would be absolutely beside herself to have you there and if you were friends with Ernest then I’m sure he would be delighted too.”

“Oh no, er, I couldn’t possibly it’s really fine.” Potter said with his signature awkward stammering. 

“Nonsense we’re all going and you will come to, it’s been decided.” Daphne said stubbornly.

“Daphne, you can’t just decide for the man and tell him to go if he doesn’t want to go!” Draco found himself saying and Potter looked at him almost... gratefully.

“Well we have just over a month to convince him don’t we Draco darling.” She said sweetly. 

“I haven’t even been invited!” Potter said, embarrassed.

“Well, that could change that in a heartbeat but it doesn’t matter anyway seeing as we all have a plus one!” Daphne said cheerfully. “Blaise will no doubt find some hottie to bring along at the last moment he’s just keeping his options open.” She winked at Blaise who simply smiled.

Then Daphne turned to Potter. “I’m rather hoping that you would have spoken to your dear friend about me before then Harry and he could accompany me, although we’d have to get in a few dates first, my sister’s wedding is hardly suitable for a first date!”

Draco was just wondering who she meant, she hadn’t mentioned this to him but seemingly Blaise knew all about it by the look on his face. He was about to ask when she turned to him and carried on.

“Draco here is flat out refusing to bring a date so you can just have his spare invitation.” Daphne said simply.

Draco frowned, how annoying it was that she had planned this out. She really was determined for Potter to be around more and it simply wouldn’t do. She could be friends with the man in her own time if she insisted, Draco was already dreading the wedding anyway. Of course Lucius and his mother weren’t invited, no one ever invited the Malfoys anymore but there was a chance he could find out where the wedding was and try to sneak in. Daphne had insisted that her family wanted Draco there but he wasn’t sure if he believed her and really wasn’t convinced that going out to a large gathering was wise even if he wanted to go, which he didn’t really. 

He secretly loved weddings but he wasn’t going to admit that to anyone. Before the war the Malfoys always had at least three weddings to go to every summer and he loved seeing all the outfits and the decorations, eating all the luxurious food and dancing elegantly with all the pretty witches even if he had to pretend to flirt back. He’d never actually been to a wedding as an adult though.

“I told you Daphne, I haven’t decided if I’m going yet.” Draco said stubbornly.

“And I’ve told you that you have to come! You’ll have to close the shop that day anyway seeing as I’m taking the day off so you can’t use that as an excuse.” She countered.

“You know very well that’s not the reason but we’re not having this discussion again here!” He snapped back.

This slight awkward pause was the moment when Lissey chose to reenter the room and vanish their now empty starter plates. Behind her came four main plates which elegantly landed in front of each diner. The main was indeed steak and it looked very good. Draco was more partial to fish however meat when done properly was excellent too. The steak was accompanied by hassleback potatoes and asparagus. 

Blaise topped up all the wine glasses again with a new bottle of the same red even though Draco’s was only half empty. Daphne had switched to red now too and Potter, slightly worryingly was on his third glass although it didn’t seem like it was affecting him yet. Maybe he was used to it.

Draco once again noticed that he had the biggest steak but he chose not to comment on it. He’d always had a healthy appetite and was used to lots of courses, well he was used to it once. A chorus of thanks to the house elf and comments about the appetising dish rang out from around the table.

Daphne decided to pick a new topic of conversation and it happened to suit Draco. He didn’t want to be in the spotlight. Potter knew far too much about him already but Draco knew very little about his life now. He very much wanted to know everything there was to know about the man but he didn’t want to be the one to ask it.

“So Harry” Daphne started. “How is ‘early retirement’ treating you?”

“Of course you read the article!” Harry said, rolling his eyes.

“It never hurts to stay informed!” Daphne inistied with her classic smile.

“Yes but could you tell what was the truth and what was bullshit?!” Potter laughed.

“Oooh. Well I love a challenge!” Daphne smirked. “Let’s see if I can remember it all…”

She looked up into the corner of the room and placed her beautifully manicured hand delicately on her chin. Then after a second she dramatically looked back at Harry with a playful smile.

“Oh I know! The ‘mutual decision’ line is definitely, erm, what did you call it ‘bullshit’ is that a muggle term?! You definitely just quit and left them no choice didn’t you?” She said looking pleased with herself.

Potter laughed again. Draco really did like hearing that laugh. It was still strange to be sitting here watching this seemingly carefree Potter laughing and chatting away. He always saw this from a distance and he was always jealous of Potter’s friends, now he was almost one of them… but not quite. 

“Alright fine you’ve got me there!” He said clearly amused.

“Well the Ministry can’t be seen to have lost their Golden Boy can they?!” Draco said bitterly before he could stop himself.

Potter frowned slightly at him but seemed to choose to rise above it. A new one for him. Instead he gave a sensible answer. 

“Well no not really, as much as I hate that term, they were worried about what it would look like to the public if I wanted to leave.” Potter said calmly. 

“I suppose it would suggest that I’ve lost faith in the Ministry or something but to be honest if that was the case I’d happily speak out, it wouldn’t be the first time I’ve spoken out against the Ministry! I was happy to go along with the mutual decision line because it is the best for the public and I was telling the truth in the article about the fact that I still support what The Ministry are doing.”

“So why leave?” Blaise asked in a neutral tone.

Potter sighed. Draco had a feeling he was used to telling half truths of his own. 

“It’s complicated and I don’t want to get into it all to be honest.” Potter said looking down at his half eaten plate and twirling his fork whilst the others carried on eating. 

“The Ministry is a good place to work for others, they are fair now and the atmosphere is good. People get treated with respect and everyone else gets treated based on the work they do, not who they are… but I’m always going to be the bloody ‘Saviour’ to them. I can’t ever be just a normal auror.”

Draco noticed how Harry said the word saviour with such distaste. That was strange, surely Potter loved being the hero?!

“I would have left if they promoted The Weasel over me too.” He said scornfully.

For the second time that evening Potter frowned at him and Draco reprimanded himself. He had long abandoned being mean to others and putting them down, he did not believe himself to be better than anyone now not like the way he used to. In fact he had rather a low opinion of himself these days with anything that wasn’t to do with his business. He was also genuinely trying to be nice. It was just easy to slip into old habits sometimes, especially regarding Potter and his friends. 

“I apologise.” He said sincerely to Potter. “I will try not to refer to your friend in such a way again.”

“Wow!” Potter looked up at him in genuine surprise and gave a little chuckle. “Apology accepted.” He said smiling at Draco.

When he looked at him like that flashing his sparkly green eyes and with the nicest smile on his face it made Draco’s stomach do a funny little flip. 

“I just don’t understand why you don’t have the job that’s all.” Draco said in an attempt to redeem himself. “I mean you’d think saving the entire wizarding world would get you the Head Auror position! What’s Weasley ever done?!

Oh. Judging by the look Potter was giving him now Draco had just made things worse.

Potter was giving him a fierce look and suddenly his sparkly eyes were full of green fire. “He’s done plenty Draco!”

That made Draco feel really rather foolish, Potter was obviously implying that Weasley did more than he’d done for the war effort which of course was fucking true. Dammit he hated himself sometimes. 

“More than me you mean!” Draco said flatly and reached for the glass of red he hadn’t touched in a while and gulped half of it down in one go. He didn’t care that he was showing how flustered he was. 

That calmed Potter’s fire, although Draco didn’t know why it had but his eyes were lookly softly at him again.

“No.” He said firmly. “That wasn’t what I meant at all actually.” He said with a quiet fierceness that made the hairs on the back of Draco’s neck stand up. 

Potter swallowed and carried on. Blaise and Daphne had finished their main courses now and were just sitting back watching. Draco and Potter’s plates lay half finished and abandoned.

“I’m just sick of people treating Ron like he’s some sort of useless side-kick to me, he deserves more than that. That’s what I meant. You did your part Draco, for the right side.” Potter said the last part so quietly that Draco could almost have missed it. Draco didn’t think he was breathing.

Potter cleared his throat and spoke a little louder the next time.

“You want to know the real reason I left… I’ll tell you even though I’m trusting you with something huge that you could easily use against me and my friendship with Ron… but somehow I don’t think you will.” Potter seemed to be speaking directly to Draco and the two of them had quite forgotten there were two others at the table by this point.

“They did give me the job, of course they did, like you said who better than the guy who saved everyone right?! Except there are so many things wrong with that I can’t even tell you! It was the final straw!”

Potter spoke calmly yet so passionately. Draco had never heard Potter like this and it was mesmerising. He was used to seeing Potter fired up, the man was incredibly hot headed and Draco had always enjoyed making him angry to see that fire, it had been thrilling. Yet this wasn’t a roaring wild fire that Potter often personified. This was a controlled fire that could still very much burn you, it was hot. Very hot. 

“You used to tell me that I liked the attention but you’re wrong, I’ve never liked it. I never asked for any of this and I’ve never really had a choice in it. Everyone’s always had these expectations of me and it’s just… well it’s a lot. Like when I joined the aurors I’d already killed Voldemort, where do you go from there?! Everyone was acting like everything else in my life was going to be easy compared to that but it wasn’t always! Some of the cases were damn hard and you know who solved most of them? Ron did! But you know who got the credit for them? I did! You tell me how that’s fair? Ron deserves that job a lot more than I do.” 

Potter was still just about controlling himself but he’d gotten more and more worked up as he spoke. Draco could tell that wild fire was just beneath the surface waiting to bubble over and part of him really wanted to see what would happen if it did.

“The Ministry is blinded when it comes to me, almost everyone is! They don’t see me, they just see the hero that they want to see. I don’t feel like a hero. Everything I did I did with help and luck! Everyone treats me like I saved the world all by myself, like it was so fucking easy! Like everyone else in the war didn’t even matter, like their efforts paled in significance to mine and I can’t fucking stand it.” 

Then the wine glass that Potter had been holding smashed and glass and wine went all over his section of the table. He acted so quickly with only a tiny flicker of panic, swearing and apologising all at once. Then before anyone could even react he waved his hand over the area making the wine vanish and the glass repair itself. He sat up straight composing himself.

“I’m really sorry, that, er, happens sometimes... my magic, it’s, erm… anyway I’m sorry I’ll stay calm.” He muttered embarrassed.

Everything had all happened so quickly that the other three around the table were just staring at Potter half shocked and half confused about what they had just witnessed. Did Potter just lose control of his magic like a child and perform two wandless non-verbal charms at practically the same time? How was that even possible? Draco had felt the heat and the magic rise within the room and then wash away again just as quickly. He was completely in awe of what he’d just witnessed. Of course the man could do casual wandless magic, that was just so typical.

There was no doubt that Harry Potter was powerful but he was also damaged. Draco could see that now. The carefree Potter that had been holding casual conversation was gone now and Draco was beginning to think that he didn’t really exist, not deep down. He was an act. The real man truly was one wild sea of emotions that he was constantly fighting to control. Hadn't that always been the case? Hadn’t Draco himself always been able to tease Potter’s anger to surface when just moments before the school boy had been happily laughing with his friends. The man was clearly no different in some ways, yet in others he had changed a lot. Harry Potter was truly fascinating and Draco was now beginning to think he would very much like to see more of him.

No one else quite knew what to say or do but Potter used this quiet as an opportunity to just carry on as if nothing had happened.

“Anyway,” Potter took a deep breath before continuing and looking straight into Draco’s eyes as he spoke. “What I was trying to say ties into the reason why I’m here tonight. The reason why I wanted to speak to you.”

What could Draco possibly have to do with any of this. His throat was dry and his breathing stilled once again. He simply waited for Potter to continue.

“I want the world to know the truth.” Potter said with those green eyes sparkling again now that he was calm. 

“The truth about what?” Draco found himself saying with a raspy voice that sounded very unlike his own.

“The truth about what happened in the war.” Potter said calmly. “Not all of it, there are some things the public can’t know but what they can I’ll tell them. You know I still get weekly letters asking for my story and when I’m going to publish a bloody biography. Well I’ve decided they can have it but it has to be on my terms.”

“You’re going to write a biography?” Daphne said, acting very intrigued.

Potter’s head suddenly snapped round to her and he blinked at her in surprise, clearly forgetting she was even sitting there. He glanced at Blaise too and then sat up even straighter and cleared his throat. This time when he spoke he addressed the whole table and his voice had lost the intensity it had when he’d thought he’d just been speaking to Draco alone.

“Not exactly.” Potter said clearly. “I’m going to write a book and certainly it will detail some of the events of my life but it’s not a biography. I definitely don’t want to be the focus of it. I want to tell the untold stories of all the other war heroes, the ones who helped me. I want the world to see how hard destroying Voldemort was and how it took years of effort by so many people. How things worked out in a particular set of circumstances which meant that I could kill him in that precise moment of time.”

This was unexpected. Draco was torn. On the one hand he very much wanted to read that book. He’d been confused about a great many things during the war and afterwards he’d had so many questions. At the time it felt like he had lots of random pieces of the puzzle and he knew what the end picture looked like but he couldn’t make the pieces he had fit together because there were so many missing ones that should have been in between. Part of him really wanted answers to the questions he’d long since forgotten. Then again on the other hand wasn’t that rather the point? He’d forgotten the questions. He was living a different life now and he had no desire to return to his previous one. It was better left buried, better forgotten.

“What has this book got to do with me?” Draco asked flatly. He didn’t know how he felt so he chose to just give no emotion whatsoever.

“Well…” Potter squired in his seat for a moment and looked marginally uncomfortable. “If I’m writing about all the events that happened then, erm, you’d be in it.”

Draco knew how he felt then. His eyes flared and he glared at Potter.

“Absolutely not.”

Potter’s face fell.

“I, er, thought you’d say that but please just hear me out-”

“What is there to discuss Potter?” Draco said angrily. “You want me to play the villain in your pathetic little book so that the public will understand poor little Harry Potter more and leave you alone is that it?”

“No, that’s not-” Potter tried to interject but Draco barely heard him.

“You know there’s a reason why I changed my name Potter!” Draco carried on his little rant. “I don’t want to be a bloody Malfoy anymore. You think I’m proud of what my family did during the war… what I did?! You think I want to be associated with that name?! That name follows me around everywhere I go, it’s why I escaped to France where nobody cared. It’s why I never go out anymore in public as even the name change can’t help me there. I still look like a fucking Malfoy and I can’t escape that. My family name is dirt, the Malfoys will always be scum now.”

Draco spat out the last sentence then took a deep breath to calm himself down. He mustn't let Potter get to him. He looked down at the table not meeting the other man’s eye.

“So change that.” Potter said so quietly that it made Draco look up at him in surprise.

“How-” He started still annoyed but this time Potter interrupted him.

“I want to give you the opportunity to change that. Use the book to tell your real story too and that of the Malfoy name.” Potter explained calmly looking into Draco’s eyes with those beautiful bright green ones that were now soft and full of empathy. 

He went on in a smooth quiet voice. “You know we’re not so different in a way. We both have a famous name that the public associates with an image that doesn’t describe who we actually are, what we’ve actually done…. I want to change mine, you want to change yours, so let’s do it.” Potter said simply like it was so easy.

“I don’t understand what you mean.” Draco said slowly and full of scepticism. “You say that like it’s easy.”

Potter shrugged. “I don’t necessarily think it will be easy but it’s got to be better than hiding and just not ever going out in the world. I get it, it’s what I’ve done for years now too but I’m sick of it. It’s holding me back. I have a vision for what I want my life to be and I'm never going to get there if I can’t even go on a bloody date in public.”

Draco frowned. “Well I still don’t see why telling everyone what happened in the war would make my ‘image’ any better.” He said bitterly.

“Don’t you?” Potter said, raising an eyebrow. “Because the way I see it you’re acting like the world still sees you as a Death Eater-”

“That’s because I am Potter or have you forgotten?!” Draco said, raising his left arm angrily.

“No you’re not Draco, you never were, not really.” Potter said quietly. 

“You know that and you know that I know that. I spoke about it at your trial but the details of the trial never became public and others don’t know... All the public knows is that you and your family were cleared of all charges. There were a couple of small angry articles about it but there was a lot going on at that time and soon people forgot about it then your name basically hasn’t been heard of since. Maybe that was a mistake, I’m sorry, maybe there should have been more of a public statement... It was just difficult then, everything was such a mess and people weren’t in a good place… I wasn’t in a good place. I was just doing the bare minimum I had to do but there was so much else that should have been said, about you, about your mother, about Snape… the public only know little bits but it doesn’t make sense unless you know the whole story and I want to tell it now. I’m ready to tell it and I think people are ready to hear it…”

Potter paused for breath but he was still looking directly into Draco’s eyes. It was almost hypnotic.  
“I told you before you did your part for the right side and I meant it, but people still don’t know what you did, what your mother did, don’t you want people to know? Because I do, I want the public to know all the people who helped me. All the times that I could have died or could have failed but I didn’t because someone saved me, or lied for me, or bought me time…”

Draco took a deep breath. There were a whirl of thoughts and emotions running through his head. He didn’t like it, he needed time to think, to process, but he said the one thing that was screaming out at him in his mind.

“If you’re talking about… about that time, at Easter in- in the M-manor, then that was nothing. I didn’t save your life, not really, I just said I wasn’t sure... it was cowardly… I- I could have done more… and it wasn’t even to make up for all the bad I’ve done.” He said slowly and quietly.

“It wasn’t nothing!” Potter said stubbornly. “You had the chance there and then to sell me out and Ron and Hermione too but you chose not to take it. That is huge Draco.” 

Draco looked up at Potter suddenly, did he really think that? Draco had been torturing himself for that day over and over thinking he should have done more to help Potter actually escape, hell he should have escaped with him... Potter didn’t elaborate though he just took a moment to consider and then changed tactics speaking slightly bolder than before.

“Look, we don’t have to get into it now. The book isn’t about placing blame on anyone, or evaluating actions. As far as I’m concerned Voldemort was to blame for the war and he’s dead now. Yes there were some death eaters and supporters that were pretty bad but they’ve been dealt with now too. Kingsley and I have already discussed this and agreed when I’m writing about any specific events I’m not going to name the Death Eaters in any scenario. I want this book to be a positive book, I want to name the heroes not the villains.”

“I’m no hero.” Draco said quietly looking down at the table once again.

“Maybe, maybe not.” Potter said casually as if it didn’t even matter. It mattered to Draco. “I’m not saying you didn’t do some things wrong but you weren’t the only one… Like I said , the book isn’t about that and we don’t need to mention everything… We’d probably have to write like... seven books to cover everything!”

“Anyway,” Potter continued. “I don’t have the power to absolve you from everything you’ve ever done… but I can forgive you for everything you’ve ever done to me. I already have, years ago to be honest. We have a pretty fucked up history, we’ve both hurt each other but when it really mattered we both saved each other too. It’s in the past and it can stay there. There are other things in the past that I do need to address… Things I haven’t dealt with, that I’ve buried… That’s why I want to write it down, to process it and move on. Don’t you want that too? Don’t you want to deal with things head on, bring honour back to your name and then move on?”

Draco thought about that final sentence for the moment. Isn’t that exactly what he did want? He still had a lot of questions though and a lot of reservations.

After a while he looked back at Potter calmly. “Will you write the book anyway no matter what I say?”

“Yes.” Potter said simply but when Draco frowned and went to interrupt Potter held up his hand to silence him. “I’ve come this far and I’ve made up my mind now that it’s what I want, what I need… but I was never going to name anyone without their permission. I’ve spoken to everyone else and they’ve all agreed you were the last person on the list.”

“So what exactly is it that you’re asking me?” Draco questioned emotionlessly.

“I wanted to give you the heads up about the book, you deserved to know.” Potter explained. “And I wanted permission to use your real name when I write about events but if you don’t give it then I guess I can give you a fake name… another one!” 

Potter added with a faint smile but then cleared this throat and spoke seriously again.

“That was all I came here to ask you… also I should probably speak to your mother too... but speaking to you I wonder if there is something else I should ask…” He trailed off and waited for Draco to speak.

“Well gone on then.” Draco said slightly impatiently

“You like control, it makes you feel safe.” Potter stated simply, it wasn’t a question and Draco wondered how he could be so readable to the man. Potter didn’t wait for Draco to confirm or deny it. 

“So I was thinking maybe you would feel better about the book if you wrote it with me, that way you can have more of a say, you won’t be worrying about what it says and maybe it will help you too.”

“Help me?” Draco said, raising his eyebrows at Potter. Why did the man think he needed help?

“Again, not trying to pry or anything it’s just… well…” Potter started awkwardly. “I think maybe you’ve buried a lot of stuff too, I think maybe there’s still a lot about the war that you don’t understand and you haven’t dealt with. You could just read the book once it comes out of course but like I said, there are still some things that can’t be general knowledge. You write it with me and I’ll tell you everything.” 

Potter finished a lot more confidently than he started and Draco thought it was very clever. Of course he wanted to know everything, of course he wanted to not only have access to the book before everyone else but to know more than everyone else knew... and he definitely wanted to control his own involvement in the story. How could he refuse that?

“Plus you’re much cleverer and better with words than I am! I could actually really use your help!” Potter added while Draco was still thinking things over.

Damn Potter, now he’s gone and added flattery to the mix too! He really should have been a Slytherin with tactics like that.

Draco took a sip out of the wine glass that he’d long since abandoned as a slight delaying tactic and then swirled it around in his fingers.

“I have some reservations still.” He said slowly.

“Name them.” Potter said confidently.

“If I agree, then no one else outside of this room can know I’m helping you. For reasons that I do not want to go into now, Lucuis and my mother do not know where I am or what I’m doing now and they cannot know, so we cannot involve them.” Draco said clearly. “Do you have an editor and a publisher lined up?”

“Erm, not a publisher, I haven’t thought that far ahead to be honest.” Potter started. “But Luna Lovegood is going to be the editor. I have agreed that she can give me an exclusive interview about the book and release the publishing date in her magazine.”

Draco considered that for a moment. “Hmm good choice actually, and Blaise can find us a publisher.” 

It seemed like he was already taking charge of the situation, Potter was right, he was a control freak but if he was going to do this he wanted to do it properly and with people he could trust as much as possible. Plus Blaise really did have good connections. It would be silly not to use them.

Blaise nodded in their direction and then Draco carried on.

“You agree not to involve my mother?” 

“I…” Potter sighed. “Yes I agree if you really don’t want me to. I think maybe we could discuss that again at the time. I’m not sure how much you know exactly about what she did and why other than what was said at the trials but we can talk about it. I agree not to try and contact her and I wasn’t planning on mentioning your father by name anyway. I will also agree not to tell anyone you’re helping me. I don’t know what happened between you and your family but if you want to keep your identity and your whereabouts a secret that’s fine by me, I’ve already promised not to say anything.”

“Good, thank you.” Draco said quickly. “One last reservation. I still have a large workload and my business will always come first. I don’t have that much time to spare. You will have to do the majority of the work. Did you have a particular time frame in mind for this and how did you envision this... partnership working?”

“Well again, I hadn't really thought about it, the idea just came to me tonight.” Potter said running this hand through that damn hair. 

“There’s no time limit or anything, no hurry, it will just take as long as it takes. I’m obviously happy to do most of the work, that's fine, we can meet up whenever suits you and erm, I can even come to the shop if you want, you know to help you round the back if you have too much work… I erm, well I’m not that useless as potions, I can follow instructions pretty well, but obviously if you don't want me to that’s fine… I er, I've helped Fred and George out a lot just putting labels on stuff and wrapping up mail orders… it’s er, well it’s a stupid offer I know but it’s there if, er, you want it…”

“Potter I think we’ll be spending adequate time together on this project, let’s not push it shall we?” Draco said flatly.

Secretly he thought the idea of free help with his increasing workload was brilliant but he was hardly going to ask it of Potter. Besides the man would probably distract him rather than help him, he couldn’t even think straight around him.

“No of course not, you can’t even call me by my first name even though I’ve asked you too. I would hate for you to spend any more time with me than necessary.” Potter snapped back bitterly.

Draco was taken back by that. The man seemed… offended? Did he think that Draco didn’t want to be his friend? Did that thought upset him? Did he really want to be Draco’s friend? He didn’t really know what came over him but suddenly he just knew that he didn’t want to do anything ever again to upset him. In fact, deep down he very much wanted to please him even though he wouldn’t admit that to anyone.

“I’m sorry… Harry.” He said quietly avoiding eye contact with him. “Old habits you know…” He mumbled.

“It’s ok.” Potter, no Harry, said and Draco forced himself to look at him. He was smiling.

“So erm, do we have a deal?” Harry asked with a shy sort of smile that was rather endearing.

Draco thought he might ever be able to refuse that smile.

“We do.” He said simply.

Harry beamed at him and Draco couldn’t help but think he would do anything to cause Harry to beam at him like that again.

“Finally!” Blaise cut through the short silence.

Harry and Draco both turned to him suddenly seemingly both of them had forgotten again that there were other people in the room. There was a small amount of nervous laughter as the four looked at each other again.

For a while it had just been him and Harry, nothing else had mattered. Now Draco became aware of the other things in the room again such as the main course plates that were still on the table. How long had they been talking for?!

“So does that mean we’re ready for desserts now?” Daphne addressed the room with a grin.

“Yes definitely!” Draco said with a smile of his own. Desserts were his favourite.

“Yes, thanks Daphne.” Harry agreed. “Sorry for rambling on and ruining the main course!”

“Not at all Harry, it was the best entertainment we’ve had all week!” Daphne laughed looking over at Blaise who seemed rather amused with the whole thing too.

Draco wondered what they really thought of the conversation, no doubt he’d find out when Harry wasn’t there. Considering how against it he was an hour ago, he now realised how nice and how easy it was that this man in front of him had now become Harry.  
Maybe it really could be the start of something new.


	11. Harry: Sunday 25th September-Friday 30th September

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another Harry Chapter for you! Hope you guys like the format of the alternating chapters and it's works out with the dates being the chapter titles.  
> Let me know what you think, I love getting comments they motivate me!  
> Even if you don't like something let me know (kindly) why you don't as I'm interested to hear all feedback!  
> Thanks for reading it means a lot!

All in all the previous evening had gone rather well, Harry thought to himself as he sipped on his usual morning coffee. He wasn’t quite sure what possessed him to invite Draco to write the book with him, that had been a bit of a spontaneous decision, however, waking up today he found that he didn’t regret it. 

He really wasn’t sure how much Draco knew about the war, about Voldemort. Draco was still a bit of a mystery to him, obviously he had changed and changed for the better but when, how and why? Harry found himself wanting to spend more time with the man getting to know him, who he was now and what had happened to him since the war. That wasn’t necessarily a new feeling, he had always wanted to know everything about Draco but this time it was more for a positive reason. For the first time in his life he actually very much wanted to be Draco’s friend. 

The beginning of the evening had been mildly frustrating. He found himself trying to break through Draco’s outer shell but the man didn’t seem to want to let him in. By the end though, Harry thought he’d broken through. He thought that Draco might want to be his friend now too so that was good. At the very least they were civil acquaintances now who wouldn’t wish harm on each other and could spend time together so that was an improvement. Harry thought they could help each other out with the book, help each other heal and move on. His instincts were telling him that Draco wasn’t happy, not really and that didn’t sit well with Harry. He found himself wanting to help him. 

There were still old wounds there that might need to be addressed but they could talk like adults now instead of fighting like teenagers. Harry was excited about the idea of working with Draco and getting to know him. At the very least it definitely would be interesting and that’s what Harry wanted wasn't it? To break out of the rut he’s found himself in, to do something different, something challenging that could help him look to his future. He was oddly optimistic about the idea.

Blaise and Daphne seemed nice too. He already counted Daphne as a friend but Blaise could be too in time. He still didn’t really know him, he was obviously a man of few words but just being in different company was actually rather refreshing. He loves the Weasleys, of course, making friends with Ron and Hermione in first year was the best thing he’d ever done but it was nice to have a different group of people to spend time with. He could see the four of them hanging out more, even if he did feel slightly out of place with them they definitely weren’t as snobby as he thought they’d be. 

Now that he had ticked off all the difficult conversations on his list there really was no excuse not to start writing. It was still a daunting task, he had no idea where to begin! The only things he’d ever written had been school essays which weren’t exactly his strong point! He decided to browse some of the books Hermione had given him on writing/becoming an author and see if they gave him any ideas.

Three hours later he was sitting at his desk in the study/library surrounded by notes and feeling much better about the whole process. He’s stuck some of the notes onto the wall where he’d assembled some sort of chapter list and outline for everything he wanted to include. He was going to order a load more parchment paper, ink and some more fancy quills that he could use for dictation and they would magically erase and alter words too. He knew his messy writing and scribbles would never do. 

He filled out the order forms thinking he could take them to the Burrow later and ask to borrow Percival. He was the Molly and Arthur's owl that they had got after the war to finally replace poor old Errol. They had named him after Percy of course and he was a bit like him in a way. He was quite a fancy owl that was always prim and proper. He did a thorough job and seemed very professional in his deliveries which was rather amusing. 

Molly and Arthur still lived a humble life at the Burrow but with Arthur’s promotion to deputy Minister after the war and with all their children moved out and earning their own money they could afford things they couldn’t afford before. It was nice not to see them worry about money as they once did and they enjoyed treating their grandchildren. 

At midday Harry apparated directly onto the doorstep of Molly and Arthur’s house as he was running a bit late. He was immediately greeted by the sound of noise and chaos that was so familiar with this place. Several people greeted him all at once and he said hello to everyone in return. Molly was in the kitchen with Dromeda. Arthur, Bill and Ron were sitting at the table discussing work. Charlie was chasing Victoire, Dominique and Teddy around whilst Hermione was sitting on the sofa with Fleur discussing babies looking down at the rug where Rose was happily playing with-

“Ginny!” Harry said happily walking over to them.

“Hey Harry.” She smiled back fondly.

Harry went to sit down on the rug next to her and Rose and greeted Hermione and Fleur as well before turning back to Ginny.

“I didn’t know you were home this weekend.”

“Yeah, we’ve been training so hard recently that I just really needed a break.” She said, sounding exhausted.

“Yeah I can imagine with the final coming up!” Harry said as Ginny picked up Rose and brought her into her lap.

“It’s been seriously tough but we’ve actually got a chance this year!” Ginny said as Ron wandered over obviously hearing the quidditch talk. “We’re as good as we’re going to be though, as much as I would love to keep the hardcore training up I don’t want to exhaust the team too much. I’ve given them all a long weekend off and then we’ll get back to it on Wednesday. A rare cuddle with my youngest niece is just what I needed!”

“I reckon you could really do it this year though Gin!” Ron said enthusiastically sitting on the vacant armchair. “I mean the Bats really messed up last week against the Magpies! I couldn’t believe it! But it really opened up the table. If you win on Saturday you could win the whole league! You just need to make sure that you win by-”

“-At least 250 points I know Ron!” Ginny said, rolling her eyes. “Easier said than done against Puddlemere though. It’s going to be hard.”

“Yeah, Wood is doing the best I’ve ever seen him at the moment!” Ron admitted. “Their seeker is their weak point, yours is way better but you have to be at least 100 points up before she can-”

“I know Ron!!” Ginny said a bit more aggressively this time. She sighed. “We’ve been through it all a hundred times this week, I just want a day where I don’t have to think about Quidditch please!”

Ron opened his mouth to speak and then closed it again.

“It’s hard being captain isn’t it?!” Harry chuckled.

“It really is!” Ginny said, bouncing Rose on her lap. “It’s just stressful at the moment, this is the first year where we’ve actually had a shot at winning the league and I just want it so badly!”

“You’re coming aren’t you Harry?!” Ron said loudly.

“The final?” Harry asked pointlessly. “Yeah sure, guess so! It’s on Sunday right?”

“Yeah! You have to be there!” He insisted.

“We’re playing at home so you have your box Harry plus my players box. Really no excuse! Bring whoever you want.” Ginny said casually.

“OK.” Harry said happily. 

It had been ages since he’d been to a game and this was a big deal to Ginny. He’d been given a box at the Harpies home ground quite a few years ago after he donated a large sum of money to the team towards the renovations they were doing to their stadium. He used to go to every home game they had with Ron but over the years the visits just became less and less frequent and he wasn’t really sure why. It would be fun though and he wanted to witness the moment Ginny led her team to victory if it happened. Plus it was bound to be a good game with Oliver Wood being the captain of the other team.

As Molly called them all the table for lunch Harry realised there were two very obvious people missing.

“Where are Fred and George?” He asked as they all took their seats around the table. 

It was much bigger than it used to be as Arthur had been able to extend their dining room so that the growing family could all sit around it.

Ron shrugged and said they were probably just late as usual but just as he’d finished the fireplace roared to life again and George stepped out.

“Hello dear family!” He said brightly. “Sorry I’m late but just me today, Freddie’s not feeling well.”

“Oh no what’s wrong with him? Does he need me to go over? Should I take him some soup? Does he need a healer?” Molly rushed out giving George a hug and ushering him to the table all whilst looking a bit worried for her other son.

“Nah Mum, nothing like that don’t worry.” George said, taking the empty seat between Harry and Ginny. “He just went at it a bit hard last night and hasn’t long been home.”

George laughed it off but Harry saw a flicker of worry travel through his eyes.

“Hasn’t he got any hangover potion?” Harry asked him quietly. “I think I left some in, erm, in his room.”

He realised that he wasn't sure if the other Weasleys knew anything about their arrangement coming to an end. They’d never really spoken about it in as many words anyway and they hardly acted ‘couplely’ around the family in the first place but yet somehow they all knew about it even if they pretended they didn’t. 

“Yeah he’s taken some, he’s just tired and erm in a bit of a mood.” George muttered the last bit quietly.

“Well I’ve always hated hangover potions.” Molly said hovering above her seat and starting to serve the Sunday roast. “If you’re silly enough to get drunk you should at least have to suffer through the consequences of your actions. Honestly what is he like?! You shouldn’t still be going out to those clubs George at your age! Honestly! When are you both going to settle down like your brothers?!”

“Hey!” George said. “I didn’t go out, don't blame me for what he’s done! Also Charlie’s not married, why don’t you badger him about it!”

“Hey leave me out of this please!” Charlie laughed from across the table.

“Well he’s not wrong dear, I did think I might have more grandchildren by now!” Molly said in her motherly way.

“Bill’s doing just fine on that front aren’t you brother?!” Charlie said gesturing over to a heavily pregnant Fleur who was magically cutting up her daughters food into smaller pieces for them at the smaller children’s table in the kitchen where Teddy was already happily eating. 

“And I’m sure Ron will have more!” Charlie added grinning.

Ron choked on the big pieces of roast chicken that he’d just shoved into his mouth having received his plate first from his mother.

“Merlin Charlie, gives us a couple of years would you?! She’s hard work as it is!” Ron said when he recovered and pointed to the highchair next to the children’s table where Hermione was feeding Rose.

“Nice to know that you’ve given up on me entirely bro!” George said to Charlie. “I’m only 27 I could still trick some witch into marrying me and having my children!”

“Poor woman!” Charlie said back laughing.

George swore at him and Molly told him off as she served the last plate to Arthur and then sat down herself with a plate. Harry waited until everyone was eating and talking amongst himself before he turned to George next to him.

“On that note, I spoke to Daphne about you!” He said quietly making sure that no one was paying attention to their conversation.

“Oh were you serious about that?!” George said, surprised.

“Yeah, of course why wouldn’t I be?!” Harry said tucking into his dinner too. “I know you made that joke about, erm, Pierre’s second’s or whatever but I don’t think their engagement was like that.”

Harry was careful not to say Draco’s name in case anyone did hear.

“What makes you say that?” George asked with his mouth half full.

“Well I was at dinner with both of them last night and the way they interact… well it’s like me and Hermione, they are best friends and I just don’t see anything romantic between them. I think there was more to the whole engagement than meets the eye. Maybe it was supposed to be an arranged marriage that they couldn’t go through with or something. I’m not sure.”

George thought about this for a moment and nodded. “Yeah I wouldn’t be surprised at that either to be honest. Something definitely went on with his family, I mean we all know what his parents are like… So, erm, what did she say then when you mentioned me?” He added casually.

“She wants me to set something up to meet you!” Harry said smiling.

George frowned. “Really?...And you told her who I was?!”

Harry laughed. “Yes George of course, don’t sound so surprised. She’s not the stuck up snobby pure-blood Slytherin witch that people might think she is.”

George shrugged. “Well I really don’t know anything about her but if you like her then she must be alright and I can’t really afford to be fussy. I just thought she was a bit out of my league really.”

“Come off it George, you’re really not that bad looking!” Harry insisted.

“Yeah well you would say that but I never really knew what you saw in Fred! At least looks wise!” He laughed. “Plus you know, the whole ugly ear thing.” He added in a half-joking, half bitter tone.

It was Harry’s turn to shrug. “He’s definitely not ugly and he’s got a decent enough body but it’s not all about looks anyway. Also I told her about your war wound and she seemed to think that was a positive note in your favour!”

“Ah, excellent!” George said grinning.

Harry ate a bit more of his food and then turned to George again.

“Erm, how is Fred, er, really? Is he… is he OK?” He asked quietly and a bit awkwardly.

George sighed. “I won’t lie to you Harry, I am a bit worried about him. He said he was fine after you left yesterday and was laughing and joking around like nothing happened but he got really really drunk last night. It’s my fault, I should have known, I should have gone with him. Usually he gets pretty tipsy but he’s never like out-of-control drunk and obviously it’s not unusual for him not to come home but…” He trailed off.

“But…?” Harry prompted, biting his lip in a worried fashion.

George looked away and down at this plate. Fortunately everyone else around the table was too engaged in jovial conversation to notice. 

“Maybe I shouldn’t be talking to you about this, I don’t want you to feel guilty.” George said quietly.

“Bit later for that.” Harry sighed, putting his fork down and running his hand through his hair. “Just tell me please, I’ll feel guilty either way but I’d rather know.”

George turned to look Harry in the eye again and nodded. “Well, he was in a right state when he came home. He apparated back this morning still drunk and managed to splinch himself a bit. It’s not that bad!” George rushed out quickly when he saw the look on Harry’s face. 

“Just a big gash in his foot that seemed to trail behind him but I fixed him up. He’s resting, it might scar but I doubt there will be any lasting damage. He can’t remember where he was though or who he slept with… I know he likes to have fun but he’s not usually so careless with it…” George said quietly looking down at his plate that he’d stopped eating too.

Unfortunately George not eating was a rare enough sight for people to start noticing.

“What’s got you looking so serious George?” Bill called out from halfway down the table and a few pairs of eyes looked over their way.

“Nothing.” George said quickly. “Just thinking about the shop tomorrow. Verity’s off on holiday all week and Lee will be pretty busy stocking up the other shop this week with the first Hogwarts trip to Hogsmede scheduled on Saturday so I was just thinking about what I’d do tomorrow if Fred wasn’t better.”

“I’ll help.” Harry said straight away. “I’m not working now so I can do the owl orders at the back while you manage the shop?” 

George looked up at Harry again and smiled softly. “Yeah that would be great actually, if you’re sure you don’t mind.”

“Not at all.” Harry said stubbornly. It was the least he could do if he was the cause of Fred’s drunken state.

“I thought you said he wasn’t really that ill?” Molly said over the table giving George a scrutinising look. 

George tried to look as casual as possible. “He’s not that bad honestly, he’s fine really I’m probably just overthinking it but it will be nice to give him a day off anyway!”

“Plus having Harry Potter package up the owl orders is great for business!” George joked looking more like his normal self to reassure his mother. “I’m going to get him to sign each one!”

“No you’re bloody well not!” Harry mumbled. 

*~*

The next day Harry forced himself to get up early. His body clock was adjusting to not working now plus he was taking more dreamless sleep than normal so he’d gotten into a bad habit of sleeping in some mornings. He’d tried to cut back on the potion but he found it so hard to get to sleep in an empty bed and negative thoughts often wandering into his mind which made him paranoid about having nightmares again. 

Looking at the empty vial on his nightstand from the night before he remembered it was his last one. He knew he was probably relying too much on the potions but they weren’t harmful so he was sure it would be fine. He might have to up his order so he could have a full vial every night rather than the smaller dose he was used to. Would Draco say anything seeing as he was no longer an anonymous client? Could he pretend they were for someone else? Or could he just set up another anonymous order? Then again he couldn’t have that one sent to Kreacher and he wouldn’t know what other name to use. He would just find another way to cope.

He dragged himself out of bed and put his joggers and glasses on before wandering down to the kitchen. Coffee, he needed coffee! He made himself a big batch of Americano and put it flask to take with him then downed a quick double espresso. Kreacher popped into the kitchen and moaned about the muggle coffee machine Harry had put in to make proper coffee like he usually did and then together they set about making breakfast.

Kreacher liked to moan but really Harry knew he was happy as long as Harry was happy and they usually worked quite well together in the kitchen. Secretly Kreacher loved having Harry around more and always went above and beyond to provide Harry with what he needed which Harry was grateful for. Harry explained he wanted to take breakfast to the twins so they made three omelettes and then Kreacher packed them up especially to keep them warm. Harry told him he’d be out all day and kindly asked him if he would make dinner for him this evening which the house elf was only too happy to do.

Heading back upstairs to get dressed he felt much more awake. It was always easier to get ready after a caffeine hit. He put on some old jeans and a hoody, he would only be working in the back on his own and as much as he did like that he knew how to look good these days, he definitely did still like to be comfortable. 

He flooed directly into the twins flat at 8:15. Much earlier than he usually did but he was here to work today and he wanted to really help George plus be there in time to provide breakfast.

“Oh hey Harry, didn’t expect you this early.” George said as he stepped out into the sitting room. 

“I, erm, brought breakfast.” Harry said as he noticed he’d come from Fred’s room and not his own. “How is he?” He asked gesturing towards the door George had just come from.

“His foot is healing. He can’t put any weight on it yet as it’s still a bit swollen and painful but the gash in his skin has joined together well and I don’t think it will scar.” George said simply taking the box that Harry was floating towards him and walking into the kitchen. 

“Dittany?” Harry asked following him.

“Yeah, great stuff! Ooh omelettes!” George said, opening the box. “You made Fred’s favourite, not a conscience I’m guessing.” He said smiling.

“Erm no, not a coincidence.” Harry said with a shy little smile back. “Should I take one to him or is it best to leave him?” 

“I’ll leave it under stasis outside his door for him. That way he can just open the door and summon it from bed when he’s ready. He’s just taken another pain potion so he’ll probably go back to sleep.” George said casually.

Harry was still looking through the open kitchen door towards Fred’s room. It was weird not to just go in and see him but he didn’t know what a normal friend was supposed to do in this situation.

George saw him looking and guessed what was going on in Harry’s head. “Just give him time Harry. He’ll be fine and it’s not your fault. It’s own stupid fault he shouldn’t have apparated drunk. He could have sent his patronus and I would have come and side-alonged him. He’s just feeling a bit embarrassed today more than anything I think. He was worried about the shop but I told him you were helping and he was pleased about that. Thanks a lot for coming in, without you I’d have to delay the owl orders and I don’t really like doing that..”

“It’s fine honestly.” Harry said as George handed him an omelette on a plate and they sat down at the kitchen table to eat breakfast together.

Harry sat and ate quietly. He knew George was right, it wasn’t his fault but he couldn’t help but feel maybe Fred was more upset about Harry ending things than he made out he was.

Once again George seemed to read his mind. “I’m sure you can see him later Harry. He still wants to be your friend and he’s determined that things won’t be awkward between you. He'd hate that.”

“I’d hate that too.” Harry said quietly in between mouthfuls.

“You did the right thing. Don’t beat yourself up about it. Fred needs to learn that he can’t always get things on his terms. He can’t make his mind up about whether he wants a relationship or not and you were the perfect in between for him but it wasn't fair on you. He needs to learn that some people do want to get married and live happily ever after!” Harry noticed that George seemed a bit frustrated with his twin.

“Everything alright between you two?” He asked before worrying if he was overstepping.

George sighed. “It is, or it will be anyway. We never fight you know that but he was just being a bit of a dick last night. He was in pain and cross with himself and took it out on me that’s all, said some things in the heat of the moment. He said afterwards that he didn’t mean them and he’s apologised but I can’t help but think there was some truth behind them.”

Harry frowned. “What did he say?”

George took a moment to think about it whilst he finished off his omelette. “I mentioned what you said about Daphne, thought it might cheer him up but it didn’t really… Usually he likes hearing about any potential dates I might have but he said- well actually it doesn't matter what he said I don’t think he really meant it but I do think part of him doesn’t want me to find someone...” George trailed off a bit sadly.

Harry paused too thinking this over. “Because if you then you might move out and leave him behind?”

George nodded slowly.

Harry sighed. “Yeah, I guess I see that. Still he needs to let you be happy though, you deserve to find happiness with someone.”

“I know and he knows that too. He’s a selfish idiot sometimes but he’d never truly get in the way of my happiness not when it came down to it. He’s just feeling a bit insecure at the moment. I think he just didn’t want anything to change but now it might do. He was happy with you and now he feels like you’re going off to find someone and then I will too and he’ll be alone...” George said quietly. “Not that anything has happened yet obviously, I haven’t even met Daphne! I guess it was maybe just a bit tackless of me to mention it.”

“I have a good feeling about you and Daphne though!” Harry said in a happier tone. “He’ll come round if it does lead to something, he’s always encouraged you before and he’s not really a selfish person.”

He thought for a moment as he finished off his own omelette, always a slower eater than George. “ I actually think he might realise after all this that he does want someone too. I can’t see him getting married or anything but I think it would be nice if he could find someone to have an actual long-term relationship with. Maybe someone who is like him. Someone who either doesn’t mind if he still has fun with others or wants to join him in it… or someone who has fun of their own… I dunno how it would work exactly but it could.”

“Yeah, I think you might be right.” George said before getting up to clear the plates. “Right come on then, to work!”

“Yes boss!” Harry said smiling and standing up too.

Harry worked in the back room getting all the orders packed up and sent out all morning. He didn’t mind it. He knew the process as he’d helped out before but he’d never done it on his own. George ran him through it again just to be sure before heading out to open the shop. They had music playing throughout and it wasn’t really taxing work. It was kind of nice to be able to mentally switch off for a bit. 

The process was simple as Fred and George had ample stock and nothing they made was bespoke so it was just about reading each order, collecting the right bits and packaging it up and sending it off via owl before moving onto the next one. Fred and George had plenty of owls in the small owlery they had in the attic but they had all been brought down for today’s deliveries. Each one was fitted with a bright orange and purple WWW collar and tag. 

Lunchtime came quickly and Harry was pleased to find he was more than halfway done when George popped his head in with a sandwich. He’d closed the shop for an hour over lunch. They didn’t usually but it was quiet and he didn’t have anyone to cover his break for him. Harry felt a bit bad but they both knew he didn’t ever want to be customer facing. His mind wandered to the shop across the road which he knew was also closed for lunch at this time and couldn’t help thinking about Daphne and Draco on their lunch break. He was tempted to stop by but he didn’t really have a reason too and wouldn’t that look a bit weird and desperate? 

“You going to Ginny’s game on Sunday?” Harry asked George as they sat in the back room and ate their lunch.

“Yeah of course! Ginny against Oliver for the final! Wouldn’t miss it” George replied enthusiastically. “I love it when games fall on Sundays!”

Sunday was the only day the shop was closed. Fred and George could often swing days off during the week either separately or together as they had Verity but Saturdays were harder to get off as they required two people on the floor due to it being their busiest day by far and they couldn’t ask Verity to work every Saturday so they usually took it in turns. On the Saturdays that the Hogwarts students flooded into Hogsmeade one of them had to go help Lee out then which meant that Fred, George and Verity all had to work. The Hogsmeade shop was smaller and all the owl orders were done from the main shop in Diagon Alley so Lee usually managed it fine on his own giving himself Wednesdays and Sundays off. 

“Well I know you might want to be in Ginny’s box with your family but I was thinking of inviting Daphne to mine and then you can meet her in an informal setting with others around, maybe Blaise and Draco too... I’ll introduce you and then from there it’s up to you if you wanna ask her out on a proper date after that!” Harry said casually.

“Sure! That sounds great cheers! The players box will be crowded anyway. I'll get a better view in yours!” George said happily. “You really going to invite Draco though? You two like friends now or something? And by Blaise do you mean Zabini? You friends with him too now?!”

“Yeah, Blaise Zabini. He was at Daphne’s the other night too. The three of them are close so it just kinda feels rude not to invite him. He seems alright but we hardly spoke to be honest. Draco and I aren’t exactly friends yet but I’d like it if we could be.” Harry said casually. 

“Part of it is about healing the past, I think. If we can put aside our differences and become friends then it’s like a true measure of moving on and leaving the crap of the past behind us if that makes sense? That’s how it started anyway but now I think I might actually like the guy. He’s really different to how he was before and I honestly think if I met him now without knowing who he was then we’d probably get on well.”

“You like the guy huh?!” George asked with a raised eyebrow.

“Not like that George!” Harry said quickly with a faint flush. 

“If you say so Harry but just because I’m straight doesn’t mean I can’t tell that he’s pretty good looking!” George laughed.

Harry gave a little chuckle. “Yeah he is to be fair, it’s actually bloody annoying. I never noticed at school but guess I didn’t really know I was gay then and I kind of hated the guy but now… yeah there’s no denying he’s attractive! But honestly me and him together?! Can you imagine?! That’s just ridiculous. Plus I have no idea if he’s into guys. I mean he was engaged to a witch so I’m guessing not.”

“Yeah but we’ve already established that there might be more to that engagement that meets the eye… and he could be bi anyway.” George countered.

“Well true.” Harry nodded in agreement. “But still doesn't mean anything. Just because I find someone attractive doesn’t mean I actually want to be in a relationship with them. The idea of me and him is still absurd!” He insisted honestly.

“Well anyway Sunday sounds good.” George said. “Invite them and let me know. Even if they don’t come I’ll still sit in the box with you and Fred might too. We’ll all end up back at the burrow afterwards no doubt anyway, hopefully for an after party so we can catch the family then.” 

“Great! You OK if I borrow one of these owls after I get the deliveries done to send Daphne a note? Hopefully she can persuade Draco.” Harry said after he finished his sandwich.

“Sure. We’ve got a meeting with Draco Wednesday actually after work to discuss the new products so I can try and convince him too. Hopefully Fred will be on his feet by then but I think he will be.” George said, finishing his second sandwich.

“Oh that’s good.” Harry said wondering why he suddenly felt a tiny surge of jealousy that the twins would see Draco again before he did. That’s weird.

In fact Draco filled his thoughts as he finished off the rest of the owl orders that afternoon. It was probably just because he was bored that was all. It didn’t mean anything. He blamed George for putting ideas in his head.

By mid afternoon he’d finished and cautiously went upstairs to see how Fred was doing. Fred seemed happy to see him and was laughing at his own stupidity. Other than the noticeable absence of physical touch nothing really had changed between the way they interacted and had it not been for George’s words Harry would not have been concerned about Fred in the slightest. Still George wasn’t naturally a worrier at all so if he was worried about Fred then Harry would be too. He promised Fred he’d stop by again on Thursday and said that he’d definitely see him for the game on Sunday too.

Before he left he wrote to Daphne and sent it with one of the Weasley’s business owls as he wondered for the millionth time whether it was finally time to replace Hedwig and get his own owl. He hoped at the very least that Daphne would come but then it would be mildly awkward if it was just him, Daphne and George in the box. He hoped they could hang out as a group to take the pressure of George and Daphne’s first meeting in case he was totally wrong about them hitting it off (which he very well might be!). He didn’t want to end up as some sort of third wheel. 

There was a high chance that Fred would tag along too but then that might seem like a double date with him and Fred together which wasn’t what he wanted. Hopefully at the very least Blaise would come too and that would avoid that, although Harry could admit that he would be disappointed if Draco didn’t come. He had figured out that Draco didn’t really go out in the public wizarding world but he’d been very clear in his note to Daphne that his box at the Harpies stadium was a private VIP box. The only people in the box would be people that already knew about Draco’s life anyway so there really was no excuse.

Was Harry looking forward to seeing Draco again… very much so.  
Why? Erm, so that he could update him on the progress of the book which he was yet to write of course! Why else?

*~*

True to his word Harry came to check up on Fred Thursday evening. Tuesday would have been too soon and Wednesday was his weekly dinner with Teddy and Andromeda. He also kept his promise to himself to cook for Teddy. He kept it simple and made spaghetti bolognese but Teddy had loved it and Dromeda appreciated being waited on for once. His evenings with Teddy were rapidly becoming the favourite part of his week and he couldn’t understand why he hadn’t made enough time for his godson before. True they had usually seen each other every Sunday at the Burrow but they weren’t always there and even if they were there were so many others around. Quality one on one time with him was much better. 

Fred had managed to sit through a meeting with Draco the previous evening and the twins were raving about the potion geniuses ideas all through dinner on Thursday. It all sounded very positive and it was helping Fred stay in a good mood. However his foot was still bandaged and George was insisting he took the rest of the week off which he was a bit grumpy about. It had worked out well though as George had advertised a new shopkeeper position on Monday and had an immediate response from someone who could start straight away. The shop had been a bit quiet and George had been able to spend Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday training him on the job.

The new employee was an ex-Slytherin called Graham Pritchard who had been three years below Harry at Hogwarts. Harry didn’t know anything about him but George said he’d been doing OK. Apparently he wasn’t a natural with the customers, he just got a bit nervous and didn’t really have a welcoming smile but he had been really helpful restocking shelves, organising products, logging owl orders and just doing all the general jobs around that George didn’t have time for when he was on his own. 

George had only agreed to take him on a temporary basis thinking he would only really need him this week but then Fred and George decided it might be nice to another staff member on the books for when someone called in sick or when the Hogsmeade branch was busy to help Lee out. Fred, George and Lee all worked so much that they didn’t often get time off together so maybe this would be good. Even though they might have to train Graham more in basic customer service!

Tuesday, Wednesday morning, Thursday and Friday morning of that week Harry dedicated to finally starting the book. By the time he went to visit Hermione and Rose on Friday afternoon he’d completed the first two chapters and was relatively pleased with it. It hadn’t been as difficult as he thought but he knew with each chapter it would only get harder.

He took the pages with him to Hermione’s but when he saw the mountain of paperwork on her desk in the corner of the sitting room he thought better about burdening her with it. At school he’d always given his essays to Hermione to look over so she was the natural choice to review his work, wasn’t she? Then Harry’s mind turned to Draco again. He had agreed to include him and part of him really wanted Draco to be the first to read it, for some reason Draco’s opinion on things had started to really matter to him. Hermione knew the events of first year but Draco wouldn’t know everything and wouldn’t have been able to see things from Harry’s point of view before. Maybe someone slightly on the outside but who still knew enough would make a better proof-reader and he knew that Draco would be honest. Hermione might be too protective of Harry’s feelings, Draco wouldn’t hold back if he thought it was crap. 

Technically Draco was in the first chapter although he wasn’t named but Draco would recognise their interaction in Madam Malkins. It wasn’t exactly a positive story and he had promised he would only name the heroes of this story, unfortunately in first year Draco hadn’t exactly been a hero. Would the fragile friendship they’d formed last when Draco read his words? Harry wants Draco to understand what it had been like for Harry to have the first wizard boy he’d ever met immediately start talking about blood supremacy and maybe it would help him understand why Harry didn’t accept his friendship on the train. He knew now that Draco had been brought up that way by his parents and he was almost certain that he’d changed his personal views but it wasn’t something they’d actually discussed.

Harry decided that if their new friendship couldn’t overcome this first small hurdle then it definitely wouldn’t hold up to the bigger things to come. He may as well jump in with both feet and give the chapters to Draco. He was a brave Gryffindor after all, isn’t that what they did?! Or maybe it would turn out to be foolish, time would tell.

Hermione was pretty distracted that afternoon and he didn’t blame her, it sounded like she had an awful lot going on at work. He was a bit disappointed because he kind of wanted to talk to her but he knew it wasn’t all about him. She had her own life as a busy working mum they would always be close, they would always be there for each other when it mattered but Harry was lucky he had some new friends that he could talk to now too.

The look on Hermione’s face when Harry offered to look after Rose for the afternoon so that she could catch up on her paperwork was one of pure relief and gratitude. Harry did his best not to laugh, she really hadn’t changed much in all the years he’d known her! She couldn’t just enjoy her day off without worrying about work. There was no doubt that she loved her daughter but she loved her job too.

Rose was an absolute angel for him all afternoon. He didn't have a lot of experience handling babies on his own but he thought he did a pretty good job. During Teddy’s first year he’d essentially been working every single day and his personal life was an absolute mess. Looking back he felt guilty that he’s missed out on a lot of early bonding time with his godson but then he had been rather busy helping to bring peace and normality back to the Wizarding World and completely reforming their government and justice system!

After he’d successfully put Rose down for her afternoon nap he found Hermione and offered to cook the evening meal for them. If he cooked it now then it could stay warm and be ready for them later so that she didn’t have to worry about it. Hermione being Hermione worked on a menu plan that she had on the chalkboard in the kitchen and everything was very organised so Harry went to work on the lamb hotpot that she’d been planning to do. Just as he put it in the muggle oven that Hermione had to cook low and slow he heard the sound of Rose’s soft cries on the monitoring charm. Hermione took a break from her work and went to get her so she could have a big cuddle with her. 

Half an hour later Hermione gave Rose back to Harry and said she would keep an eye on the dinner whilst Harry took Rose for a walk. Hermione fussed a little bit before they left, putting another warming charm on the pram even after Harry insisted that he’d already done it but then she went back to her desk.

*~*

At 5 o’clock Hermione had finished her paperwork and was reading to Rose on the sofa whilst Harry checked on the dinner. It was done now so he just had to keep it warm. Ron and Hermione had bought a muggle cottage in a muggle village as Hermione was determined to still have some roots in the muggle world and wanted somewhere where her parents felt comfortable to visit. It had been hard on them to adjust after losing their memories but after a few years of treatment in St. Mungos and lots of joint therapy sessions with Hermione they had got to a place where they could move back into their home and be amazing grandparents to Rose. 

At first glance their house looked exactly like a muggle home except for a few moving photographs around, but they did have a few wizarding conveniences such as a fireplace which was connected to the floo network. Harry got two beers out of Hermione’s fridge just as Ron came through the floo.

“Ah excellent! Thanks mate!” Ron said as one of the cold beer bottles came floating towards him. 

He took it and sent his coat and briefcase into the corner of the room with a flick of his wand. Then he went over to give Hermione and Rose both a kiss.

“How are my two favourite girls doing?” Ron said, taking a seat on the sofa next to his wife.

“Fine thanks love.” Hermione said back smiling. “Harry took Rose all afternoon so I managed to get all my work done. She’s really good for him.”

“Oh that’s great! That means you can come on Sunday now!” Ron said enthusiastically.

He turned to Harry who had just come over to join them in the sitting room. “She was using her work as an excuse not to come to the final! Can you believe it!”

Harry laughed sitting down in the armchair opposite the sofa. “Yes I can very much believe that!”

Ron snorted and threw a mock scowl over his shoulder at Hermione. “Well now there’s no excuse!”

“What about Rose?!” She said dramatically. “Mum and Dad can’t take her, you know it’s their anniversary this weekend.”

“Rose, how do you want to come and watch your Aunt Ginny win the Quidditch league cup?!” He said in a silly voice picking his daughter up from Hermione’s lap and lifting her in the air.  
Rose squealed with delight.

“See Mione?! That was a yes!” Ron laughed.

“Ronald!” Hermione said in her serious mum voice. “We can’t take a baby to a Quidditch match!”

“Why not?! She’ll be fine! We can take her pram into Ginny’s box and put a silencing charm on it if she needs to sleep or just have her on our laps with some of those head thingys. She’ll be fascinated by the flying and the lights!” Ron explained quickly. 

“Come on! Please!” Ron was looking at Hermione pleadingly and even Rose seemed to be begging her with her big blue eyes. “The whole family is going to be there so we’ll have loads of help. Even Mum’s going! And Fleur is coming with the girls even though she’s about to pop but Bill said they might not stay for the whole thing. This is a big deal for Gin and when Rose is older it will be cool to tell her that she was there for it!”

“Fine! We’ll give it a go but if she’s not happy I’m coming back with her!” Hermione sighed.

Ron lent over and gave her a big kiss on the cheek. Hermione pretended to wipe it away but she had a small smile on her face that Harry could see.

“It will be great won’t it Harry?” Ron asked, turning to him. “You’d like to see the look on her face wouldn’t you?!”

“Erm, well yeah I’m sure she’ll love it but I’ll be in my box.” Harry said slightly awkwardly.

“What? Why you not going to be with us? You seriously that worried about the press?!” Ron asked seemingly a bit annoyed at the idea.

“Well you know I don’t really like it Ron, I can’t relax and enjoy the game when I know I can be seen. You can’t really blame me after some of the headlines they’ve run over the years…” He mumbled. “Besides the players box will be packed with all of us in it and it’s not just that but I’m also bringing a friend.”

“Oh?” Hermione said trying to be casual but failing. “Like a date?”

Ron shifted in his seat slightly awkwardly and spoke quietly with the tips of his ears going red. “What about Fred?”

It was a bit awkward, they never spoke about Harry’s love life anymore as Ron and Hermione just didn’t really get it. He wasn’t sure if he should tell him that he’d finished things with Fred or not.

“Well you know that me and Fred were never actually exclusive but... erm, well we’ve stopped that now...” Harry explained suddenly wishing he’d never brought it up. “But it doesn’t matter anyway because it’s not a date. She’s just a friend.”

“Oh.” Ron said looking like he really didn’t know how to process any of this information. “You and Fred… you’re not… anymore?” He said stammering out words asking the question he didn’t really know how to ask.

“Erm no.” Harry said. “I, er, I’ve decided that I’m ready for a proper relationship. I- er, well I’d still like to get married and have a family one day like you guys, just cos I’m gay doesn’t mean I can’t have that, so, er I’ve decided I’d like to start dating properly.”

“Harry that’s wonderful!” Hermione said genuinely beaming. “I’ve been worried about that, I know how much you want a family and you’re absolutely right, there’s no reason why you can’t have that Harry. Obviously surrogacy is an option but I have looked into whether it is possible for male wizards to get pregnant and there haven’t been any cases but I reckon it might be possible-.”

“Seriously?!” Ron said, looking a mixture between confused and horrified.

“Yes. It’s all quite new and experimental but there’s a private clinic in London that specialises in magical fertility and they opened a new department for men last year just in the research stages but I heard a rumour that they’ve made a breakthrough. It’s bound to be very exclusive and expensive from what I gather but there are spells and potions-”

“Hermione.” Harry interrupted her. “I know you have good intentions but I’m not really there yet! I kind of need to get my life together and find a boyfriend first. Let’s at least start there OK?!”

Harry wondered again if this was a good idea. He loved Hermione but once she got an idea in her head she did tend to become a bit obsessive and overbearing about it. It was one of the main reasons why Harry had stopped discussing her love life and he definitely didn’t want to tell her that it was him who funded the research of the department.

“Sorry Harry, of course you’re right!” Hermione said kindly. “Well I know I suggested Matthew from my department a few years ago but I think he has a boyfriend now. I could ask-”

Harry interrupted her again. “Hermione, I appreciate it I do but I think it’s best if you just stick to advising me about the book and my mental well being! You gave me really good advice there and you do say a lot of things to me that make sense but I just don’t think I want you to set me up with anyone, I’m sorry. Things got a bit awkward between us before when you guys got involved in my love life and I just don’t want that, is that ok?” He said, trying to be honest but put it as kindly as possible.

Ron mumbled under his breath that Harry might have a point.

“Oh right, yes, ok then Harry.” Hermione said quietly. “Will you tell us though, you know, erm, how the dating goes?”

“I promise I’ll tell you when I find someone serious, Hermione.” Harry said honestly. “I couldn’t be with someone who didn’t get on with you guys. But you know that could take years right?! I have no clue where to start and I do think I need to get the book done and get things sorted out in my head a bit first.”

Hermione gave him that annoying mothering smile that made it look like she was worried about him. “Yes I think that’s a good idea Harry.” 

There was a slight pause before Ron spoke quietly. “So, erm, is er, is Fred ok?” 

Harry shifted awkwardly, worried that Ron would ask that. “Yeah he’s fine he took it really well. I care about him a lot but we were never in love and you know he never wants to settle down and all that stuff…”

“Yeah I know which is why I don’t know why you got involved with him in the first place!” Ron muttered to himself although not really that quietly.

Harry sighed. “Ron, can we not? You know this discussion never ends well. I never wanted to hurt him and I don’t think I have... He understands it.”

There was a bit of an awkward silence before Hermione suggested they should sit down for dinner. Harry opted to feed Rose as he thought it would be better to have something to focus on during dinner time. He sat next to the highchair at the table spoon feeding some of the blended lamb hotpot to her and putting the odd chunk of soft potato on the tray so she could eat with her fingers too while he ate his portion. Ron tucked into his dinner happily having forgotten any awkwardness now there was food in front of him. Hermione seemed more relaxed now too even though there was still a faint flicker of worry going through her expression from time to time.

“So you still convinced that Ginny will win on Sunday?!” Harry asked Ron with a smile steering the conversation back to something safe. 

“Yeah I need her to! I put a bet on with the guys at work-”

“Ron!” Hermione shrieked and gave him a gentle smack on the arm.

“Oops! Er, forgot I hadn’t mentioned that.” Ron mumbled and rubbed the spot on his arm. 

Harry laughed at them and just like that everything was back to normal. Even though they were at different places in their lives and they didn’t always understand each other it was times like this where he thought they could just be back at school having a laugh together and he knew that no matter what they’d still always be friends.


	12. Draco: Friday 30th September-Sunday 2nd October

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is a fun chapter! :D  
> I enjoyed writing it so hope you enjoy reading it!  
> The last interaction between Harry and Draco was quite intense and the next one will be too as that's when they properly get into the box so I just wanted something a bit more less heavy in between.  
> Also, as much as this story is mainly about Harry and Draco writing the book and navigating their relationship, I'm really enjoying developing the other characters and want to continue to explore them too and what they're up to!
> 
> *~* The next two chapters are dedicated to Mia_reads! Thank you for your comments that motivate and encourage me and hope you like the little Harry and Blaise moment I put in here just for you and a little in the next chapter too! <3 *~*

“I’ve already told you that I’m not going Daphne!” Draco insisted as they sat in Blaise’s sitting room and waited for him to get back with dinner.

“Yes but you haven’t even heard me out!” Daphne snapped back.

“It’s a massive public event, what else is there to know?! You think people are just going to turn a blind eye to the fact that a Death Eater is casually watching the Quidditch alongside them? Not to mention all the bloody Weasleys are surely going to be there I mean is the Weaselette’s team! You think I want to watch Potter cheer for his girlfriend amongst all the other redheads? You think they’re all just going to be happy to see me do you?!” Draco ranted bitterly.

Midway through his rant Blaise had clearly come back into the flat unnoticed by Draco with a large carrier bag of food.

“Take it he hasn’t managed to listen to you long enough to realise the privacy measures Potter has put in place?” Blaise said raising an eyebrow at the worked up Draco pacing in the living room. 

“Of course not! You know stubborn he is once he’s got something in his head!” Daphne said, taking the bag from Blaise and putting it on the fancy glass dining table in the corner of the room.

“Are you two done talking about me like I’m not here?!” Draco said walking over to the table where Blaise was now taking a seat.

“Well maybe if you’re not actually going to listen to me we should act like you’re not here!” Daphne said getting all the takeaway boxes out of the bag and separating them all out onto the table.

“Fine! I’ll listen!” Draco huffed taking a seat next to Blaise and reaching over to get the Pad Thai dish he’d ordered. “So, erm, did you mention Potter- er, Harry, and some security measures?” He added quietly.

“Yes, I told you already he understands the need for privacy and that he never goes out in public anyway.” Daphne said impatiently. “Besides, he’s your friend now Draco. He would think of things from your point of view and wouldn’t invite you if he didn’t think you’d like it. Oh and Miss Weasley is definitely not his girlfriend.”

“Ok then well whatever, it’s not like I care if he has a girlfriend or not.” Draco insisted.

“Of course you don’t.” Blaise and Daphne both said at the same time with a knowing smirk.

Draco chose to ignore it. They couldn’t know about his attraction to Harry. He’d never told anyone. 

“Anyway what exactly did Harry’s invitation say then?” He asked casually whilst they ate.

“He has a private box at the Harpies stand, it’s charmed so that no one can see in but you can still see out perfectly. No one will even know you’re there. Harry apparently has an invisibility cloak that he said you can borrow to get to and from the box which is nice of him.” Daphne explained.

“Oh.” Draco said simply.

He was a bit taken back, apparently Harry had thought of everything. Would the man really lend Draco his invisibility cloak? Why?!

“Wonder where he bought an invisibility cloak from, they’re really rare! Would be handy wouldn’t it?!” Blaise said.

“Oh I think he’s always had it.” Draco said flatly and not at all jealous. “I left him under it immobilised on the train once.” 

“Always? You mean he had it at school?” Blaise said, frowning.

“And you knew?” Daphne added.

“Yeah, how do you think he always managed to be places where he shouldn’t be and know things he shouldn’t know?! Annoying nosey git!” Draco said only half joking.

“It does explain a few things actually but it can’t be the same one though, they don’t last that long.” Blaise pointed out.

“Hmm true.” Draco agreed. “I dunno then maybe he bought a new one. Would be useful though, if you find out where he bought then you can get me one for Christmas!”

“So does this mean you’re coming on Sunday then?” Daphne said. 

Draco thought about it for a moment as they continued to enjoy their dinner. “Will it just be the four of us in the private box?”

“I believe the Weasley twins might be here.” Daphne said casually.

“What? Why?” Draco screwed his nose up. 

It’s not that he didn’t like the twins, they were ok but he didn’t really know them well and he didn’t like being around anyone else in new situations that he couldn’t completely relax with. Also he would have preferred to just keep their relationship purely professional and wasn’t sure how to interact with them in a social situation. 

“Because they are Harry’s friends.” Daphne replied simply. “It’s nice for him to have friends there too but he was probably being considerate of you. He can’t ask anyone else with you there but they already know a few details about your life now so that will be fine.”

Draco considered that for a moment. Would Harry have wanted anyone else there? Would he rather be with Granger and Weasley? Was he really just organising this so that Draco could be there? He wouldn’t do that would he? Although he had to admit that it did seem like Harry really wanted to be friends with him. Daphne clearly wants them to be friends although he wasn’t really sure why. He also thought there was something he was missing about the Weasley twins. Blaise had given Daphne a bit of a look when she mentioned them and he knew those two told each other everything.

“So?! How about it Drake?!” Blaise said with a smile.

“I told you not to use that ridiculous nickname!” Draco snapped back. “And why are you so excited about this you’re not even a quidditch fan?!”

“There might be, erm, other, entertainment going on” He smirked to himself knowingly and Daphne flashed him a look.

Yes there was definitely something else going on here and as much as it annoyed him to admit it he didn’t want to be left out of it. 

“Fine I’ll come.” He found himself saying.

*~*

Saturday was a nice normal day now that Draco was slowly getting used to his new normal. He had sat down with Daphne last Sunday after last week didn’t go so well and they’d spent some time properly planning and thinking through the week to come up with a new routine they could stick to. Draco felt much better afterwards and the first week of their more structured days had gone well. 

They had agreed that Monday and Saturday were Draco’s brewing days where he would stay as Draco in the cellar and Daphne would run the shop only calling him if it was an emergency. These days he could now fully relax and shut off from the shop and the customers. He knew Daphne had them in hand and he could dress in his comfy clothes that he was slowly coming to love. He also brewed on Wednesday but that had always been fine as the shop was closed then. It was usually the only day of the week that he had completely to himself too, although sometimes he had Sunday too. 

Tuesday and Thursdays were the days where he would transform into Pierre and be the office. This meant that Daphne only scheduled his meetings with customers on these days. In between appointments he would check accounts and do paperwork. He’d settled into his role as Pierre and it helped that he could put Draco aside for the whole day rather than constantly switching between them.

Friday was the day that he dedicated to finishing and wrapping up his mail orders so he was stationed in the other backroom opposite his office. He would dress smartly as Pierre would but he kept his features as Draco. He didn’t usually meet anyone but he could quickly wave his wand and transform into Pierre if needed. At the end of the day though he would change into Pierre properly and he and Daphne would shut the shop an hour early so they could take all the parcels to the post office and send them out using the owls there. The mail order business had grown even more over the past two weeks so he was pretty busy now. He'd told all his mail order customers to now expect their parcels last thing on Friday and they were all fine with that. When he could afford it he would buy some of his own owls for the business but for now it worked.

Sunday was supposed to be his day off. Daphne had been his promise to have one and he agreed but to be honest he was pretty sure he would end up working most Sundays. This Sunday however he was indeed taking a day off to go to a Quidditch game. He went back and forth between really looking forward to finally getting out and doing something fun to then being really worried about being around hundreds of other witches and wizards who might see him. Logically he knew the security and privacy measures Potter had put in place would work but he was still anxious that somehow his location would get back to his father. 

Sunday morning his nerves were almost getting the better of him and he was wondering why he’d ever agreed to this in the first place. Just when he was thinking about floo calling Daphne from the fireplace in his office that was connected to the floo call network, there was a knock on the back door. There were only two people that ever did that, both of whom he was supposed to be meeting in an hour but he had a feeling he knew why they had come.

Sighing, he walked from his office out to the back door and put his hand on the door knob. He paused and concentrated on feeling the magical signatures through the wards just to make sure they were familiar to him. This was hard to do, his magic wasn’t particularly powerful but it was controlled so he could usually make it do what he wanted it to do if he focused. When he was satisfied that it wasn’t a stranger and it definitely wasn’t his father he opened the door and greeted the two people he expected to see.

“Hello Darling.” Daphne said, stepping him and greeting him with the usual kiss on the cheek.

“Hey.” Blaise said clapping Draco on the shoulder.

“I thought Harry was meeting us all at yours at midday?” Draco said to Daphne, frowning. “Please do not tell me he’s coming here and I’m not even ready yet!” 

“Anyone would think that you're not happy to see us.” Blaise said with his signature raised eyebrow and a smile.

“You know you’re always welcome here but I just don’t see the point of making a plan if you’re not going to stick to it!” Draco said, half annoyed half joking.

Daphne smiled sweetly at him with that mischievous gleam in her eye. “We didn’t want to give you the chance to change your mind and not come.”

“Plus we thought you might need help choosing an outfit for... a certain someone?!” Blaise said it like a question at the end and was looking to see Draco’s reaction.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about Blaise.” Draco said flatly. “It’s just a quidditch match for goodness sake does it really matter what I wear?!”

“It always matters what you wear Draco, you know that as well as anyone and you’re clearly worrying about it otherwise you wouldn’t still be in your dressing gown at 11 o’clock in the morning!” Blaise countered clearly amused.

Draco had a proper look for the first time at what his friends were wearing. 

Daphne wore a black long sleeved wrap dress that floated down to the middle of her calves and had a deep V neckline. This silhouette was normal for her and she always managed to show off her figure whilst maintaining her modesty but the pattern was definitely not her usual choice. The floaty sleeves of the dress were made of a black and white polka dots fabric and so was the belt that tied around her waist. The rest of the black pattern on the main dress had large pink and turquoise flowers and leaves on. The contrasting patterns weirdly did work well together and the black base palette maintained the elegance that Daphne normally had but she usually preferred plainer fabrics. 

Her blonde hair was flowing effortlessly down and looked like she hadn’t done anything to it at all. It had an ever so slightly ‘messy beach hair’ look to it that Draco thought had probably taken her about an hour to achieve. She had delicate turquoise drop earrings in but no other jewellery. She wore plain black shoes with a small heel but on a closer inspection Draco realised the sole and inside of the heel was bright pink. This was a playful little touch that he hadn’t seen Daphne adopt before. 

Draco knew that Daphne was the sort of person to think very carefully about every aspect of her outfit and her appearance usually said a lot about her. This outfit was feminine but fun and very carefully balanced between the sort of outfit you’d wear out with your friends for the day and the sort of outfit you’d wear on a date. That was interesting to Draco and he then remembered the other men that would be in the box with them. Was she adding these playful patterns and colours to attract a certain famously fun prankster? Would she truly be interested in one of the Weasley twins? Draco just couldn’t see it.

“Draco?” Daphne questioned after a minute. 

“Hmmm?” He uttered very characteristically.

“You’re spending an awfully long time looking at my outfit, is there something wrong with it?” She asked with a playful smile.

“Of course not, you look lovely as always Daphne.” Draco replied honestly. “It’s just a slightly different look for you that’s all.”

“Yes, I thought I’d try something new.” Daphne said casually as she started to make her way towards the stairs leading to Draco’s flat.

“Stop focusing on her outfit and get your own on.” Blaise said handing Draco a bag that he didn’t notice his friend was carrying until now. 

“What’s this?” He said skeptically at Blaise firmly crossing her arms across his chest not yet taking the bag from him.

“It’s your outfit for today of course.” Blaise said as if it was the most natural thing in the world.

“You don’t think I’m capable of choosing my own outfit?!” Draco said, offended.

“I happen to know you don’t own a pair of jeans and you should.” Blaise explained simply. “These will be good for today just stop being a stubborn git and trust me.”

“Jeans?! Those denim things that muggles wear?! Why would I need a pair of those?” Draco asked, frowning at Blaise and not moving from his defensive stance.

“Because they’ll make your arse look really good!” Blaise winked.

Draco flushed slightly as his mind wandered to the first time he’d seen Harry again when he came into the office for his appointment and was wearing those slim fit black jeans. He’d only really had a good look at his arse in them as the man left but he couldn’t deny the jeans worked well for him. Hopefully he’ll be wearing them again today and he could get a longer look…

Draco knew that he had a good arse too, would Potter look at his if he wore jeans?...

Blaise coughed and drew Draco’s attention back to the present. 

“You ok there Draco? Thinking about anything in particular?” Blaise asked with a knowing look.

“Just shut up and let me get ready, there isn’t much time.” He snapped, grabbing the bag from Blaise and following Daphne up the stairs.

Blaise followed him and he could practically feel him grinning even though he had his back towards him. Sometimes he thought Blaise and Daphne could read his mind but that was impossible because he was an excellent occlumens. Maybe this was just what it was like to have best friends, he was still getting used to the idea. Even though he’d been close with them for the two years that he’d been back in England he saw them much more now than he did when he was at the manor and they were more intimately involved in his life.

He stepped past Daphne who had stopped in his single reception room and walked towards his bedroom door. He stopped just before it and turned back to them where Blaise had just whispered something in Daphne’s ear and she had laughed.

He scowled at them both. “I’m trying on this outfit because for some stupid reason I trust you! Don’t make me regret that trust! If it doesn’t look good then I’m not wearing it!” He warned.

“Draco do you honestly think we’d willingly accompany you in public if you didn’t look good even if it is just Potter and the Weasley twins!” Blaise replied.

Draco didn't have an answer for him so he went into his bedroom and shut the door.

A few minutes later he was looking at himself in the mirror wearing everything Blaise had put in the bag trying to make up his mind about it. The outfit turned out to be a pair of skinny dark blue jeans with a slightly baggy white T-shirt with a deep V neck and a bluey/grey loose fitting cardigan over the top. There was also a pair of black dragonhide boots that came over the top of the jeans just past his ankles.

“You going to come out and show us any time soon?” Came Daphne’s soft voice through the door.

Draco sighed and opened the bedroom door so that they could come in.

“Hmm very nice.” Blaise said approvingly, looking him up and down. “Just a few finishing touches…” 

Blaise trailed off and got a thick dragonhide black belt with a silver buckle out of Draco’s drawer and put it on him despite Draco’s moans that he could put on his own damn belt. Then to make matters worse Blaise got very close up behind him and wrapped his arms around Draco to just ever so slightly tuck the front of the loose T-shirt into his jeans, his hand getting very close to something it shouldn’t.

“Blaise!” Draco said warningly as he pushed his friend back to an appropriate distance.

“What?!” Blaise said innocently with his eyes fixed on Draco’s arse.

Draco tutted and looked back into the mirror, annoyingly the belt and the slightly tucked in loose t-shirt did make the outfit look ten times better.

“So?” Blaise asked as he sat on the bed next to Daphne who was looking very happy about something. 

“I’m not sure.” Draco said honestly. “I like the jeans and the boots, they do feel kind of sexy but a loose cardigan Blaise?! Seriously?! Plus I never wear white it’s too close to my skin tone, doesn’t it make me look even more pale?!”

“The jeans and the boots are definitely sexy, they make your arse and your legs look really good and give you a bit of an edge, you should wear both of them more.” Blaise said fondly. “The cardigan gives the outfit an effortless ‘everyday’ kind of feel, makes it look like you’re not trying to look this good you just naturally do. Plus it’s a trendy one, not like an old man one.”

Blaise continued as Draco turned round to look at him. “Whilst I agree that you should never wear a completely white top the cardigan prevents that too. From the back and the sides there is no white at all, the white is only on the front and it does indeed remind people of your skin tone but that is a good thing in certain situations.” He said grinning. 

“The deep V draws the eye down to your chest and the pale colour that almost mimics your skin tone gets people thinking about your chest. It’s almost like you're not wearing a T-shirt.” Blaise finished with a glint in his eye as he was looking at Draco’s chest in a very flirty way.

“Stop looking at me like that Blaise!” Draco snapped. 

Secretly though the look in Blaise’s eye convinced him that he did actually look pretty good in this outfit. He thought about Blaise’s words and he turned to look in the mirror again to see what Blaise meant about drawing the eye to his chest. Hmm, he could be on to something but weren’t his friends thinking a bit too much about his outfit for a simple Quidditch match.

“Why exactly do you two care so much about my outfit today? Who exactly is supposed to be thinking about my chest and my arse?!” He asked cautiously.

He was suddenly worried that they were setting him up with one of the Weasley twins. Blaise had mentioned rumours about one of them so maybe one or both of them weren’t completely straight. That was never going to work though, they were too tall, too pale and too red-headed for his liking.

“Why don’t you tell us Draco?” Daphne said with a bit of a glance over at Blaise.

“Well you’d better not be having ideas about Fred or George, they’re not my type.” He said assertively.

“Oh no, not them, we know exactly who your type is.” Blaise said back immediately with a playful tone.

“It’s fine Draco, you don’t have to tell us anything until you’re ready.” Daphne said, nudging Blaise in the ribs and gave him a bit of a look.

Shit, did they know about his secret attraction to Harry? They’d both said a few things over the last few weeks and there had been a couple of knowing looks between them every time he mentioned the man. Was he really that obvious?

Draco sighed loudly. “How long have you known?” 

Daphne looked slightly worrying towards him. “Well you were a bit obsessed with him at school and there were occasionally some looks you gave him when you thought no one was watching…” She trailed off

“... and how you treated Pansy 4th year was typical of a gay boy with a crush in denial! We all know who was suddenly getting even more attention than usual that year and for all the right reasons!” Blaise added and paused before continuing. 

“Then, last week you told me you needed to go out and hook up with someone immediately after you’d seen Potter for the first time despite the fact that you haven’t been interested in that since you’ve been back here. You were really on edge that night and you had plenty of opportunities but you couldn’t go through with it but the guy who you almost accepted did kind of have a bit of a resemblance to someone…”

“...but you were really rattled after that.” Daphne continued still looking a bit nervous. “You said you thought you were happy being alone, but then something happened to make you feel something again and now you want more…”

Damn. When they said it all out loud like that it did make it seem rather obvious. Of course between the two of them they would work it all out.

“Am I really that obvious?!” He said slouching down towards the floor and running his hands through his hair.

“Not to anyone else Draco. Only to us.” Daphne said gently. “We know you and we know you like to have your walls up but you don’t have to do that with us.”

“Well whatever you think it is it’s nothing! It’s purely physical attraction, the man is fit but it doesn’t mean I like him!” Draco said sharply and stood back up suddenly willing himself to get it together.

“So fuck him then if it’s just physical. If it leads to something then it’s a bonus, if it doesn’t then it doesn’t matter anyway if you don’t actually like him.” Blaise shrugged.

“Like it’s that easy!” Draco scoffed. “Like I could just get Potter into bed! He must be straight!”

“Hmm he might not be but even if he thinks he is I don’t think it matters.” Blaise said casually. “I’ve fucked plenty of guys who say they’re straight. You dress like that today and I assure you he’ll be thinking about it.”

“Well let’s say for argument’s sake that by some miracle he’s interested in guys and he did think about me like that, I don’t do casual sex anymore, it’s not what I want. I’m an all or nothing kind of man and seeing as I can’t have what I want then I’ll have nothing!” Draco spat out bitterly.

“So you do know what you want.” Blaise said quickly with a smile.

Shit. No, he didn’t mean that. He didn’t want Harry! ...except he did… he very much did. He’d always told himself that these stupid feelings were purely physical but after dinner on Saturday night he wasn’t so sure. He knew deep down that the more he saw of the real man that Harry had become the more he was intrigued by him and the more he liked him.

For the first time he allowed himself to think about what exactly it was that he wanted without pushing the thoughts away. He wanted to see what Harry’s body really looked like and he wanted to bring Harry the most pleasure he’d ever had and see the look on his face. He’d been wanking to those thoughts in the shower every day this week. 

Those thoughts he could manage. It was the other thoughts he had that scared him.

The simple thoughts of talking with Harry and making him laugh. The thoughts of him and Harry on a real date holding hands across the table of a restaurant. The thoughts of curling up on the sofa with Harry after a long day. The thoughts of what came after the hot sex, them just cuddling naked on the bed, satisfied, happy. The thoughts that he wouldn’t have to leave after a casual fuck, the thought that he could stay and fall asleep beside Harry. That he could wake up next to him every single day and the most scary thought of all… the thought that he wanted all of this.

He realised that he hadn’t spoken in a while and Blaise and Daphne were still looking at him with satisfied expressions. 

“Well even if I do know what I want it’s still absolutely absurd. It’s not like I would ever have a chance with him.” Draco snapped at them bitterly wanting to wipe the stupid smiles of their faces.  
Malfoys didn’t get fairytale endings didn’t they know that?!

“Oh I wouldn’t be so sure of that.” Daphne said quietly with a small crafty smile.

Draco turned to look at her and raised an eyebrow. “Something you’re not telling me?”

“There are a few things I’m not telling you because it’s not my place to tell you.” She said simply. “Just continue to get to know Harry and he might surprise you. He wears his heart on his sleeve so he’s not that hard to read. His emotions are always close to the surface and when he starts talking he often reveals too much but then he does have barriers where he seems to stop suddenly. Listen to what he says but also really listen to the things he doesn’t say, you’re good at that. Start figuring him out to know him and what he needs more than anyone else. Be his friend for now, be patient with him and see where it goes.”

Draco sighed inwardly. He loved Daphne but sometimes she was infuriating, a typical Slytherin always with some scheme or double meaning to what she said. Blaise was a bit more straight forwards. He wasn’t quite as cunning as Daphne; he was more of the ambitious kind of snake. 

“Fine, fine!” He relented. “Be his friend.” He repeated out loud just wanting this conversation to be over.

Draco thought originally that there was no way he could be his friend whilst having this uncontrollable attraction to him but he had already resigned himself to the fact that he very much wanted to see Harry again. He’d tried to be distant and polite with him at Daphne’s dinner but the man had broken down his walls and got Draco to call him Harry by the end of the evening. 

Harry had seemed genuine in his offer of friendship, talking about starting again and just being Draco and Harry… could he do that? 

Yes, he thought. Yes he could. Forget the attraction, he could control himself, it was what he was good at. He could get to know him, he could be his friend. Thinking about what Daphne said he knew that he wanted that. He wanted to understand Harry, his words, his actions, his motivations. He wanted to know him more than anyone else and know what he needs. 

Even if it never became more than friends he would be satisfied with being an important person to Harry. That was all he’d ever wanted really. 

At school when he realised he couldn’t be friends with him then he decided he would be enemies with him, at least that way he’s still be a central figure in Harry’s life. The worst possible outcome was always that Harry would just ignore him. He always wanted Harry’s attention then and he still wanted it now. Now though he wanted it in a good way. He wanted Harry to like him even if it was just as a friend. If Harry truly liked him then it was proof to Draco that he could be a good person. 

Making his mind up about his new course of action he straightened up again and looked into the mirror to fix his hair. Now he had a plan he felt much more in control of himself.

Blaise and Daphne seemed to sense this new acceptance of his feelings and his determination as they smiled and came to stand either side of him double checking his hair and overall appearance too.

“So you sticking with the outfit?” Blaise said, breaking the silence.

Draco looked himself up and down once more slowly. “I think so. I do like it, it's just not something I’ve ever really worn before.” 

“Well that’s sort of the point Draco.” Daphne said cryptically.

Draco turned around once more and raised an eyebrow at her waiting for her to explain.

“You need to get to know Harry, sure, but he needs to know you too.” She explained. “Last time you wore a typical outfit for you so now show him something different. It will intrigue him, it will make him think that there is more to you than he thought and he’ll want to get to know you even more than he already does. You also need to show him that you’ve changed because you have and for the better. The casual muggle clothes will appeal to Harry and make him think that this is a version of you that he can relate to.”

Draco couldn’t help the small laugh that escaped him. “You two have thought about this a lot! You’re crafty little snakes through and through aren’t you?!”

“Guilty as charged.” Blaise said with a proud look.

“We just want you to be happy Draco.” Daphne said softly.

“And you think becoming friends with a man that I’m attracted to but can’t have will make me happy?” He scoffed.

“No, we think that making Harry Potter fall in love with you will make you happy.” Blaise said confidently getting up and standing behind Draco once more. “And when have you ever backed down from a challenge?” He whispered in Draco’s ear.

Draco took a sharp intake of breath. No one had ever said anything about love… but now his annoyingly astute best friend had challenged him and he was damn right, Draco never backed down from a challenge.

He wasn’t sure if he was capable of falling in love with anybody but there was a tiny part of him that he kept shut away that wanted to believe he could. He was definitely intrigued by the idea of making Harry fall in love with him. He wasn’t heartless though. He could make Harry feel good and be what he wanted in return. Maybe it could work...

*~*

Half an hour later they were standing outside Daphne’s house waiting for Harry. The man was ten minutes late and it was very annoying, Draco couldn’t stand lateness. Finally there was an audible ‘pop’ in the air and Harry stumbled into view dropping a backpack on the floor and almost falling over but then catching himself at the last moment.

Clearly perfect Potter was not so perfect after all and it amused Draco to the point where he could almost forgive the lateness.

“Graceful as ever Harry.” Draco directed at the man.

He made sure to keep his tone playful and not scornful like it would have once been. He also very deliberately used his first name for the first time in his greeting. Even though Harry told him to use it last time he’d held back feeling too uncertain about everything. Now that he was determined to win over the man’s affection in any way possible even if it was just a small amount, the first name just felt right. He liked the way it sounded as it came out of his mouth.

Harry flushed faintly with embarrassment as he picked up the backpack and stood up, speaking as he got his bearings. “Yeah sorry I’ve never quite got used to-”

Draco was thrilled to see Harry stop for words as his gaze fell upon him. There was no doubt about it Harry was definitely looking at him and he was surprised by what he saw. Draco wasn’t quite certain but it seemed like a pleasant surprise.

“Oh, er, hi Draco.” He stuttered. “You- err, you’re wearing jeans.” He said with his fixed upon the spot where the white t-shirt just tucked into his jeans under the belt.

“And so observant too, the Ministry really will be lost without you.” Draco said dryly but smiled as Harry continued to look at him. 

There was surely no doubt about it, he knew that look, he’d seen that look before, the man was checking him out! He had told him himself to forget the attraction and just concentrate on becoming friends but maybe he could throw in the odd bit of flirting just to test the man’s reaction. This would be fun! He couldn’t remember the last time he had fun.

“Shut it Draco!” Harry smiled back suddenly looking up sharply at Draco’s face.

Draco couldn’t help notice the ever so subtle look of Harry’s eyes though as they wandered briefly down the neckline of his T-shirt and over his chest. Blaise really was good, he’d have to thank him for his later. 

Speak of the devil, Blaise himself stepped forward now with a very smug look on his face to greet Harry and shake his hand. As Harry turned his attention to Blaise it allowed Draco to take a good look at him now without revealing his thoughts.

He was pleased to see that Harry was indeed wearing the same black slim fit jeans he had been wearing before. His legs were definitely thicker than Draco’s so wouldn’t suit the skinny fit as well as him but the slim fit hugged Harry’s muscles without tapering in too much at the bottom and without having the ridiculous flare he’d seen on some muggle jeans. He’d kept the look casual and sports like with trainers but they were still smart and trendy. On the top he was wearing a simple round neck deep red jumper. Nothing special and it didn’t take Draco’s breath away but the man still looked good. Draco liked seeing this casual relaxed attire on him too and thought he probably looked good in anything now.

Harry had greeted Daphne with a polite but friendly kiss on the cheek and had given them two VIP passes and told them to apparate ahead saying he’d meet them at the gates. Blaise held out his arm to Daphne who took it and then shortly they were gone. Harry turned to Draco as he pulled something out of his backpack.

“Here.” He said simply passing the material in his hands to Draco. “Hope you don’t mind that I told them to go ahead, obviously I told Daphne about the cloak but I don’t really like people seeing it. I, er, thought they might have questions and well, we’re running a bit late so…”

Draco took the material and ran in between his fingers remembering the feel of it from the last time he had held it.

“It’s the same one.” He said quietly, looking down at it half amazed. “It doesn’t even look old.”

“Yeah, that’s what I thought you’d say…” Harry said shifting uncomfortably. “Look, can we not now… er, it will probably come up again when we do the book, can you save your curiosity til then?”

Draco looked at Harry who was now looking at him with those big bright understanding eyes. He was surprised he wasn’t being told not to ask questions at all, he was just being asked to save them until later. Suddenly he knew in that moment that Harry would tell him everything he wanted to know if he just gave him time… and there were so many things he wanted to know.

“Sure.” He said slowly.

“Good, right then.” Harry pulled another VIP pass out of his pocket. “You shouldn’t need this really as no one will see you to check but erm, just take it in case, you know, well, just in case…”

He trailed off slightly awkwardly but then squared up and looked at Draco very determinedly. Draco liked that look. 

“You have a right to be there Draco, you’re my invited guest.” He said fiercely.

Everything Harry said or did seemed to surprise him in a very good way. Harry seemed almost protective of him already as if he would stand up for him if anyone did happen to see him or give him trouble today. The thought of it made Draco swell with pride. It almost made him want to forget about the invisibility cloak and tell the world that they could sod off because Harry Potter himself wanted him to be there with him in his VIP box. 

He would be tempted if it wasn’t for the small matter of Lucius Malfoy who was still trying to find out his whereabouts so he could drag him back to the Manor and force him to be the Malfoy heir he was born to be.

Draco couldn’t speak so he just nodded as he took the pass from Harry and slipped it into the back pocket of his jeans. 

“Right, OK, so you’d better put the cloak on now and then you can hold onto my arm. I’ll side along you. I- I er, I promise I’ve got you OK so trust me you won’t get splinched or anything it’s just that, erm, well my apparition isn’t that graceful as you saw.” Harry said running a hand through his scruffy hair.

“Oh Merlin.” Draco laughed but he wasn’t worried. His apparition technique was perfect so as long as Harry was picturing where they were going Draco could help control them both.

“Yeah… sorry.” Harry said with a half embarrassed smile which Draco found really rather adorable. Even though he would never admit that to anyone and shoved the thought away as soon as it had entered his head. 

“So just stick close to me on our way to the box as we’ll have to walk a short way.” Harry continued. “It’s weird at first under the cloak but you’ll get used to it and you’re only just taller than me so you’ll be fine. Once we’re in the box you can take it off, Fred and George might already be in there just so you know.”

“OK.” Draco said, nodding but suddenly feeling slightly nervous again. 

He felt like he was doing something really wrong, like sneaking in somewhere where he didn’t belong. Except Harry had told him that he was welcome…

Harry seemed to sense his reservation which led Draco once again to chastise himself for not keeping his emotions in check. What was wrong with him?! It was one thing for Blaise and Daphne to learn to read him over the course of a few years, it was another thing altogether to be so open in front of Harry when they were only just starting out on some fragile friendship. Especially as Draco had rather a lot of thoughts in his head that he would rather Harry not see.

“Erm, Draco.” Harry started quietly. “I really do understand why you would rather not let the public see you, I’ve used the cloak loads at public events like this. I know how nasty the press can be and it’s so much easier to relax when you don’t have to worry about the headline the next day… but it’s really going to be fine ok you don’t need to look so worried. I just really want you to have a good time ok?!”

Harry wanted him to have a good time… He couldn’t remember the last time he’d had a good time…

“Plus don’t pretend you weren’t jealous of us sneaking around under this thing at school.” Harry added with a cheeky smile. “Well now is your chance to have a go! Come on it will be fun!”

If he didn’t know better he’d think that Harry had a Slytherin side to him with arguments like those. He grinned back at Harry and briefly thought about how nice it was to be doing something fun with him and how happy it was already making both of them. He couldn’t remember being this happy in a while and they hadn’t even done anything yet. 

For years now he’d just be existing, going from day to day with carefully thought out plans and routines. This was the chance to do something different, something fun and with Harry Potter no less! Maybe there could be more days like this alongside him.

“Right then Potter! Let’s go!” He said with a cheeky smile before throwing the cloak over himself and holding onto Harry’s arm.

*~*

They landed on soft grass next to a large quidditch stadium. The apparition itself from Draco’s point of view was smooth but Harry stumbled so much right next to him on landing that Draco automatically put his other arm right round the man to steady him. It was strange, they felt so close yet the fabric of the cloak was between them. Draco couldn’t help wonder what it would feel like to wrap his arms around the man without any material in the way. 

Harry looked at where Draco’s face was but obviously couldn’t quite connect with his eyes. He mumbled a thanks and straightened up.

“Woah that was a weird sight!” Came a familiar voice from behind him. “Harry stumbling and then being pulled back by some invisible source with a single floating shoe.”

“What?!” Draco hissed furiously, automatically looking down and adjusting the cloak to hide the wandering foot that was sticking out as Blaise laughed.

“Relax Draco it’s fine.” Daphne said. “Harry deliberately told us to apparate to this point round the back and make sure nobody was here before you came in case the cloak did that.”

“Although from now on it would probably be better if you didn’t talk.” Harry pointed out smiling. “And erm, Daphne, maybe don’t say his name?!” 

“Right of course.” Daphne said blinking at her own brief stupidity. “Sorry.”

“Let’s just get to the box shall we? We’re a bit later than we said and quite a few people are arriving already.” Blaise said.

“Right, come on then this way. We can use the VIP entrance which avoids most of the crowds but there still might be some Ministry people around so stick close.” Harry said. “I’ll try not to stop and talk to any of them but I might need some help with that.” 

He gave Daphne a bit of a knowing look and held out his arm for her to take. Daphne smiled back at him and took a step forward to take his arm when Blaise gave her a gentle push out of the way.

“Oh no I don’t think so Potter!” He said stepping forward. “Let’s really give them something to talk about shall we?!” Then Blaise took Potters arm and looped it in his own.

Draco was interested to see Harry’s reaction to this, he was eager to find out if there was any way he would ever be interested in men. Harry sighed but definitely didn’t recoil at the touch or look disgusted by it. At least that was something.

“Really Blaise?! Do we have to?!” He whined but didn’t seem annoyed.

“Come on Harry!” Blaise said back, giving Harry a bit of a flirty look that Draco had seen him use countless times before on anyone who was vaguely attractive. “Where is your sense of fun and adventure?!”

“I’ve had my fair share of adventure and it wasn’t always fun!” Harry muttered but still hadn’t pushed Blaise away.

Blaise gave him a bit of a challenging look as if daring him and Harry sighed again a bit louder this time.

“Fine! Let’s just get to the damn box before more people show up!” Harry said dramatically but Draco noticed a tiny hint of a smile flash through his expression before he turned around and led Blaise around the edge of the stadium towards the VIP entrance. 

As they got closer to it a witch who Draco didn’t recognise but who was obviously a reporter got very excited. She started bobbing up and down stupidly as the witch next to her snapped away with a camera.

“Mr. Potter I was so hoping to see you today!” She squealed excitedly as the floating quill in front of her started magically scribbling in a notebook in midair. “And accompanied by… oh Mr Zabini isn’t it? How delightful to see you both and together… Tell us, are you here on a date?”

Harry never stopped walking and carried on looking straight ahead but he did throw a comment over his shoulder casually as he passed by her, just getting in before Blaise who had opened his mouth to speak.

“No Miss Miller, for your information Mr Zabini and I are just here as friends alongside Miss Greengrass. However if I were on a date with him that would be completely fine and none of your business.” Harry said flatly.

Good answer, thought Draco, at least he’s not entirely opposed to the idea of being on a date with a man and a Slytherin man no less.

“Oh I see, Miss Greengrass too, of course, lovely to see you.” The reporter blabbered excitedly trying to keep up with Potter’s pace as he neared the entrance. “Tell me Mr. Potter, how long have you all been friends, you went to school together did you not?! But aren’t they Slytherins?!”

The security guard didn’t even bother to check their VIP pases, he simply nodded at Harry and allowed them through. 

Just before Harry led them into the stadium he looked over his shoulder to the reporter. 

“Yes we were in the same year at school but we honestly didn't really have much to do with other then. We only reacquainted recently but I have to say that I very much enjoy their company. It doesn’t much matter to me what house they happened to be in at school, it was a long time ago anyway and we’ve all changed since then. I’m enjoying getting to know who they are now but really we would just like to enjoy the game in peace. Good day Miss Miller.” He said confidently and calmly before turning back to the stairs where the reporter could not follow them.

After that getting to the box wasn’t too bad. Draco did indeed stay very close behind Harry. So close that he could smell the familiar sandalwood scent that he now associated with the man every time he used it in the cellar. He was also glad to have the excuse to stare right at his arse as Harry climbed the stairs without anyone being able to see him. He used to hate jeans but he decided now that he very much liked them. 

It was a little cramped on the stairs as Daphne walked right behind Draco. She was far enough back from Harry that Draco could just about walk in between them but close enough to him that no one else would walk into the space. A few more people did stop and say hello to Harry and looked like they wanted to talk but he simply said hello back nicely and never stopped walking. Lots more people were looking and some even called out for autographs but he just smiled politely at everyone, waved a few times but never really engaged.

Finally they arrived at a row of VIP boxes at the top of the stands. In the middle of the two sections separated slightly from the rest of the boxes was what could only be described as a black square mass. The walls weren’t solid, they were rippling slightly in the air but you could not see through them. There was no door but Harry led them to it and stood to one side waving Blaise through. Blaise simply stepped into the rippling black wave and disappeared from sight. Daphne came around Draco and went next. Harry was looking around carefully at the space where he thought Draco was and then after a minute he stepped through too.

Just as Draco was hesitating slightly for no known reason, a large group of Ministry officials alongside the Minister of Magic himself started walking towards him on the narrow corridor of the stands. He had to quickly take a step into the weird black mass to avoid them walking directly into him.

As he stepped in his friends became visible again and the black wavy walls disappeared. 

Harry was shaking his head at Blaise in an exasperated way. “You realise that photo of us arm in arm will be on the cover of Witch Weekly tomorrow now don’t you?!”

“Oh I’m counting on it!” Said Blaise happily. “Won’t be the first time they’ve printed that you’re gay!”

“No it won’t.” Harry shrugged.

That was interesting too. Why hadn’t Daphne or Blaise told him there were already rumours of Harry not being straight going around. The way he looked at Draco earlier certainly didn’t look like he was 100% hetrosexual. 

Suddenly Harry looked back around at the seemingly empty space near where they had come in with a concerned look on his face as if realising someone was missing.

“Draco?! You here… did you make it in OK?” Came the slightly worried tone. Harry, Blaise and Daphne were all looking towards him without being able to actually see him.

Just as Harry said his name just as another group of people walked right past the box they were standing in and Draco could hear them chatting away behind him.

“Shut up, Potter!” He whispered through gritted teeth.

“Oh good, you are here!” Harry said happily and not bothering to keep his voice down. “It’s OK no one can hear us from in here unless I take the charm down. You can take the cloak off too now.”

Draco was still wary. Even though he knew he had passed through some sort of magical barrier it was worrying to expose himself here when he could see loads of other witches and wizards all around them. The box from the inside just looked like another other box at a Quidditch stadium and you could clearly see out to the pitch and the rest of the stands.

There were two rows of four seats, the back one slightly higher than the front one and each row had a narrow ledge in front of the seats where you could put drinks or something on. The seats themselves were dark green and gold padded ones to match the Holyheads colours and they looked much more comfortable and luxurious than the ones he’d sat on for the Quidditch world cup all those years ago. They were standing on a small platform behind the seats where there was a little empty bar tucked into the corner.

Before he had a chance to take the cloak off he felt movement just behind him and a cheery familiar voice spoke out.

“Afternoon all!”

“George! There you are!” Harry said eagerly, seemingly forgetting all about Draco once more.

Draco shifted right and George came into the box properly on his left. Harry stepped forward to greet him in a friendly hug. Harry’s smile faded slightly when he looked past George’s shoulder.

“Where’s Fred?” He said.

“Erm, he’s here but he’s going to stay in the players box with the family, sorry Harry.” George said quietly to Harry.

Draco was curious to see a slightly sad slightly worried expression on Harry’s face and felt like he was missing something.

George saw it too and spoke even quieter this time but Draco heard as he was right next to them.. “He’ll be fine Harry, just give him time yeah?”

Harry swallowed and nodded slightly to George. George smiled softly at him and then took another step into the room looking up at Blaise and Daphne.

“Hey guys, sorry you only get one half of the duo today but don’t worry, it is the best half!” He joked. “The other one is probably seeing how many new contacts he can get for his little black book today!”

“Good man!” Blaise joked approvingly.

Harry gathered himself and stepped back into the room. “Sorry, I haven’t introduced you properly.” He said addressing Blaise and Daphne. “This is George Weasley obviously, and George this is Blaise and Daphne.”

George took a step towards Blaise and shook hands with him. “Nice to properly meet you Zabini.” 

“Likewise, and first names are fine by me.” He said in a friendly manner.

“Great, well then definitely call me George, there are too many of us to go by Weasley all the time!” George said smiling before he took a step towards Daphne.

“Miss Greengrass, it’s really nice to meet you, Harry has spoken very fondly of you.” George said with a slight bow to the head and then he gently kissed the back of the hand that she had extended towards him.

Daphne flashed him a dashing smile and suddenly her choice of outfit made complete sense.

“It’s lovely to meet you too, please call me Daphne, after all we’re all friends here.” She spoke in a warm playful tone as George straightened back up. “And I’m glad to hear Harry has been talking me up but you should hear what he was saying about you! I’m afraid he has given you a lot to live up to George, I was a bit worried he wanted you for himself!”

George had a big grin and gave a little playful laugh. “Well I’ll definitely try and live up to it! And unluckily for Harry but luckily for you I am very straight!” He said with a wink.

Hmm, does that mean that Harry isn’t then? Thought Draco, still feeling like he was missing something here and still trying to work it out.

Blaise and Harry were watching the interaction. Blaise seemed to have an approving smile on his face and Harry a nervous but happy one. Draco realised he was still under the cloak but he had been enjoying watching Harry’s face and eyeing him up and down completely whilst no one could see him still. He thought it was probably rather foolish to still be under it though even though he was still wary of all the other sets of eyes out there, he could see that none of them were directed this way. It seems like they really were in their own little private bubble here.

George’s warm loud voice sounded out once again. “So where’s Draco then?! Did he not come?!”

Harry suddenly stood up straighter and looked around having obviously remembered about him now. Draco was mildly offended he could be forgotten that easily. Hmm, he would make sure Harry never forgot about him again.

“For some reason he’s still under the cloak!” Blaise said, looking around at the empty space again “Unless he’s done a runner!”

“Come on Draco, please!” Harry said hopefully somehow managing to look straight at Draco. “No one can see you I promise!”

Draco stilled again for a moment only to connect with those pleading green eyes. He suddenly had a vision of Harry begging him to do something very different with that ‘please’ in his voice and that hopeful look. Yes, he would very much like to make Harry beg one day. 

He had yet again made to take the cloak off there and then but he had stupidly made himself half hard and he just needed an extra moment to compose himself. He needed to play it cool today.

George had taken the pause to speak again. “Yeah come on Draco it’s fine! This box is incredibly private isn’t it Harry?!” There was a definite mischievous look in his eye that reminded Draco of Daphne’s favorite expression. “Believe me if it wasn’t then you would have seen a very different front page after Ginny’s first game here as captain!” 

Harry flushed red and hissed furiously at him. “George!”

Blaise looked thoroughly amused. “Wow! Got to say Harry, I’m impressed, didn’t know you had it in you!”

“Yes Harry, that is very interesting.” Draco said as he finally pulled the cloak off himself.

Harry’s eyes connected with him again as he not-so-subtly looked him up and down. Harry was looking at him like he’d forgotten what he looked like and was seeing him again for the first time. Draco was once again thankful for his choice in outfit and couldn’t help but think that Harry liked what he saw. 

Maybe there was hope for this yet.  
Maybe Harry Potter wasn’t as straight as Draco thought he was.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> George and Daphne! <3  
> Hope you like them together as much as I do. Slightly odd pairing but I think it works?!  
> Also the importance of an outfit am I right?! ;)  
> Part 2 of the fun Quidditch chapter coming tomorrow and then back to the more intense stuff!!


	13. Harry: Sunday 2nd October-Monday 3rd October

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another fun and light chapter, who else really wants to go and party at The Burrow?! Love that place and love the Weasleys!  
> A few more bits of background fluff thrown in for you! :D  
> Also spoiler alert but Draco is gay! Did anyone notice that?!  
> Things will get a bit heavy again in the next few chapters so enjoy!
> 
> This is the second chapter dedicated to my favourite reader Mia_reads! <3  
> Another little bit of Blaise/Harry interaction at the quidditch for you!
> 
> Please keep the comments coming everyone! They motivate and inspire me so let me know what you think!  
> If you have any questions or anything that you'd really like to see then let me know! I definitely know where the story is going in terms of all the big plot points so they won't change but there's lots of little things that could go multiple ways so I may be able to include little things that people want to see!
> 
> I am working on this story primarily and am still aiming to get a chapter out every day but I also have another Drarry story, which is a Hogwarts eight year fic, that I'm working on so if you like my writing style then keep an eye out for that! It's a bit heavier than this one, less fluff and less sexual stuff (this one will include some smut at some point) but the other one is more emotional I think.

As Draco finally took off the cloak Harry couldn’t help but stare at him. He’d forgotten how good Draco looked today. Obviously when he saw him the other week at Daphne’s he’d noticed how handsome the man was of course, he was only human, but this Draco in front of him, wasn’t just handsome, he was bloody gorgeous. The casual look was a good one on him, he never thought he’d see Draco in muggle clothes like this but he liked what he saw. The tight jeans and the deep V of his T-shirt that almost matched Draco’s porcelain skin tone was taking his mind to all sorts of places, making him think things he definitely should not be thinking…

“Harry!”

The loud voice made him jump and he suddenly tuned into what was going on around him.

Draco was giving him a very smug look and Blaise was looking quite satisfied about something too. Daphne had that mischievous twinkle in her eye again and George had a raised eyebrow. They were all looking at him… Merlin, Harry get it together! The first attractive man you see after breaking things off with Fred and this is how you react! 

“Er, sorry what?! Were you speaking to me?” He turned away from Draco and addressed George who had been the one to call his name.

“Yes I was speaking to you Harry!” George said, clearly amused. “Where did your mind wander to?!”

“I think we all know the answer to that.” Blaise muttered under his breath next to Harry.

Harry wasn’t sure if it was loud enough for anyone else to hear but he ignored it outwardly. Inwardly he was cursing to himself. Was he really that obvious?! It was just because he’d been thinking a lot about his love life this week and now he was officially single standing in front of an attractive man. That was all it was, nothing more to do than that…

Except Blaise was undoubtedly very attractive too and yet Harry had simply acknowledged that fact once and not given the man a second look. He’d felt nothing when Blaise walked so closely with him arm and arm earlier, yet when Draco had wrapped his invisible arm around him earlier as he stumbled from the cumbsy apparition landing he’d definitely felt something. 

Pushing the thoughts firmly out of his mind for now he straightened up and looked calmly at the group.

“Sorry, I was just thinking about the game but I’m being a very bad host! Shall I get some drinks in?!” He asked calmly.

“That’s precisely what I said!” George replied with a knowing look. “As you can see, I know how to take care of my guests.” He said with a smile.

Harry noticed for the first time that Daphne was holding a glass with some sort of cocktail in it and George had a beer. He wondered precisely how long he’d been staring at Draco for to have not noticed that happening.

“Daphne, shall we?” George gestured to the seats in front of them.

“Yes, let’s. Thank you George.” She replied fondly and allowed herself to be led over to them with George’s other hand just gently pressing into the small of her back.

“Right, er, sorry guys, erm, what can I get you?” Harry stuttered to Blaise and Draco determined not to look either one of them in the eye as he walked over to the small corner bar.

“Any beer is fine.” Blaise replied moving over to stand next to Harry at the bar.

“Beer Draco?” Harry said over his shoulder, still not looking him in the eye.

“Salazar no!” Draco exclaimed dramatically, making Harry forget his promise to himself and turning to look at him.

Draco had his nose wrinkled up in disgust which made Harry laugh softly. Here is the pompous pure-blood he knew even if he was dressed in muggle clothing. 

“Not a fan then?!” Harry asked, smiling.

“Butterbeer is nice, it’s sweet but that muggle stuff that is becoming so popular amongst wizards now is disgusting.” Draco replied.

“Right, fair enough, what will it be then?” Harry said keeping his voice steady determined to forget the stupid little moment his brain had and trying to just be friends with Draco. That was all he wanted, friendship. So far Draco seemed more receptive to the idea of them being friends than he had at the start of Daphne’s dinner. Harry wondered what had changed.

“A glass of Sauternes please” Draco wondered out loud slowly making his way over to stand next to Harry and Blaise. 

“Erm, right ok, er I’m not really sure what that is to be honest.” Harry said mildly awkwardly.

Draco sighed dramatically but he seemed more amused than annoyed. “White wine.”

“Oh, well can’t you just say white wine then?!” Harry said, rolling his eyes.

“No I can’t because there are hundreds of white wines out there and some of them I don’t care for!” Draco insisted. “You asked me what I wanted and I want a glass of Sauternes, it’s my favourite.” 

Harry let out a small chuckle. “Well what Draco wants, Draco gets I guess.”

Weirdly it comforted Harry that Draco hadn’t completely changed. He certainly seemed quieter, more mature, more reflective and less impulsive. He seemed kinder too but underneath there was still the demanding spoilt child that Harry knew. Rather than be annoyed by it now though he actually found it strangely endearing. Deep down he’d always wanted someone who he would properly take care of, someone who he could spoil. Not that Draco would ever be that person of course. Harry wasn’t sure why his stupid brain connected those two dots, it was just a passing thought.

He placed his hand on the bar and effortlessly ordered two beers in his head. He passed one to Blaise who raised an eyebrow at him but nodded in thanks. Then Harry concentrated really hard on the weird foreign name that Draco had called the wine sounding out each syllable.

A glass of white wine appeared on the bar and Harry picked it up and held it out to Draco suddenly feeling every so slightly nervous for some stupid reason.

“Er, I hope it’s the right one, I tried to say it in my head how you’d said it but erm, well it might be wrong.” Harry noticed how Draco’s fingers brushed his ever so slightly as he took the glass from him. He tried to look away but he couldn’t as his eyes fixed upon Draco’s mouth as he took a sip of the wine.

He lifted his eyes and found Draco staring straight into his own eyes for some reason and he didn’t even blink as he drank. Then a soft satisfied smile danced through those silverly eyes and settled on his lips as he pulled the glass away.

“It’s perfect.” Came a soft low voice that made Harry shiver.

Suddenly he had to look away from those eyes and he felt all hot under the collar. Merlin, what was happening. Was Draco... flirting with him? Surely not. He didn’t even know the man’s orientation, they’d only just decided to be friends ever hating each other it was just ridiculous to even think about. Harry had been staring pretty obviously earlier, maybe Draco picked up on it and was just teasing him about it. He was probably just trying to torture him it didn’t mean that he found Harry attractive back. 

Yes, Harry had admitted to himself that he found Draco attractive but that’s all it was, just physical attraction and this was probably just Draco’s way of annoying him now that they no longer openly cursed one another. The blonde had always known how to get a reaction out of Harry so this was obviously his new way of doing it. Well Harry would not rise to it. He would not flirt back at all; he would just treat Draco like any other male friend.

Deciding it might be safer to spend more time getting to know Blaise instead today he turned back to the man on his right. 

“So, erm, you much of a Quidditch fan?” He asked innocently remembering the reason they were all here today after all.

“Not really to be honest with you.” Blaise answered casually. “I don’t mind it, it can be entertaining. It makes for a good date as I can always get VIP tickets. It’s good for taking clients out too but I don’t get wrapped up with the game the way that others do and I have no idea what's going on in the league rankings.”

“Oh right, fair enough.” Harry said. He kept his eyes straight ahead half watching how George and Daphne were getting on as he involved Draco in the conversation too. “What about you Draco? You still fly at all?”

Draco was quiet beside him for a moment. Harry didn’t look at his face but when he spoke all hint of his earlier playfulness had gone and his voice was calm but ever so slightly emotionless.

“No I don’t fly anymore.” Draco said simply, not choosing to elaborate. “I haven’t followed the league either to be honest.”

“Oh, er, well I can catch you up quickly. It should be a good game today to be fair, these are two of the best teams now.” Harry started feeling like he was on much safer ground now. “Puddlemere had a bad start to the season and even though they are on top form at the moment the best result they can hope for is to finish 4th in the league. The Ballycastle bats were the favourite to finish top but they had a big loss against the Montrose Magpies so now the Harpies have a chance to take it from them today if they win by 250 points.”

“Is that likely?” Blaise asked indifferently.

“Well that’s the questions isn’t it?!” Harry chuckled. “It depends who you ask! Ron is absolutely determined they will manage it but I’m not too sure. I think the Harpies will win the game, they definitely have the better seeker, but I don’t think they’ll score enough goals past Oliver to win by that big of a margin.”

“So if you were a betting man you’d say that the Harpies will win the game but not the league cup?” Blaise asked with more interest.

“Yeah, pretty much.” Harry agreed.

“So, care to make it interesting then?!” Blaise said turning to Harry with a twinkle in his eye.

Harry laughed, he should have known this was coming. “Sure.” He shrugged. “What are you proposing?”

“Well I never thought I’d say this but I’m going to side with your other Weasley friend.” Blaise said cheerfully. “Loser has to pay for the three of us to go out for dinner somewhere next weekend.”

“What if we’re both wrong?!” Harry asked, smiling. “What if the Harpies lose the game and the cup?!”

“Then Draco has to pay!” Blaise smirked.

“Hey!” Draco snapped from Harry’s left. “Don’t drag me into this!” 

“Too late Draco! It’s done!” Harry said smiling. This was the most fun he’d had in a while and he was with two Slytherins no less.

“Shake on it then Potter!” Blaise said, holding out his hand.

Harry shook it and then automatically turned to his left to hold his hand out to Draco. As he turned he could have sworn he saw Blaise wink at Draco and he saw that Draco was smiling back at him looking slightly relieved. 

Draco then looked at Harry, took his hand and smiled. It wasn’t the flirty smile as before but it was soft and very genuine. The reaction it had on Harry was almost worse than before. He wasn’t hot under the collar anymore but his stomach did a weird little flip as he clasped Draco’s hand in his. It was the same as before, the handshake itself was firm and manly but Draco’s skin felt soft and smooth against his own. The man was full of so many contradictions and it only made Harry want to get to know him more.

Harry noticed that Draco lingered on the handshake a little longer than necessary and he broke it quickly. 

Harry cleared his throat and picked up his beer again from the bar. Then he directed his attention back to the front of the box where he’d just heard Daphne laugh at something George had said. Her hand was placed delicately and playfully on his shoulder as he faced her and entertained her with his dazzling conversation.

“What about those two?” He asked his new male friends. “We inviting them to our little dinner?”

“By the looks of it they’ll be off having a private dinner of their own next weekend.” Blaise said with his signature smirk and suggestive eyebrow.

Harry nodded in agreement. “Yeah you might be right there actually.”

“You know I’m actually pretty impressed Harry!” Blaise said with a tone of amusement. “When Daphne said you were going to set her up I was very intrigued about what kind of man you’d choose for her. Everyone always makes assumptions about who she is and who would be good for her but they’re always wrong and secretly she loves that. She loves constantly surprising people but you seem to have worked out that she is suited to someone very different than people first think and I approve of your match.”

“Oh, er, thanks I guess.” Harry stumbled slightly awkwardly as he finished his beer. “I don’t think I’m that good at working people out but she was pretty honest with me in what she was looking for and it seemed to describe George pretty well.”

Harry noticed that Draco had gone quiet again and he thought maybe he should have addressed this point earlier even if it was a bit uncomfortable. 

“Er, look, erm, Draco, I hope it’s ok with you that I, er, set her up with someone.” He started shifting slightly on the spot and not looking Draco in the eye. “I don’t know exactly what the, erm, situation was between you two but she assured me that it would be ok so…”

“Relax Harry it’s fine.” He heard Draco say quickly from his left. His voice certainly did seem to convey he was perfectly casual about it. “Our engagement was just for appearance sake, please don’t ask me to explain more now but maybe one day I will. All you need to know is that there was never actually anything between us.”

Harry looked at Draco and watched him take a sip of his wine. He recognised this as a stalling tactic and there was a tiny tremor in his hand even though his face looked completely calm.

“I’m actually gay.” He added quietly.

Before Harry could respond the stadium around them roared to life as the commentator started welcoming them and witches in dark green and gold robes started flying out from the tunnel to deafening cheers.

*~*

Three and a half hours later and Harry was shaking Blaise’s hand again congratulating him on winning the bet and promising to make dinner plans for the three of them. George and Daphne were laughing and didn’t seem the least bit upset not to have secured an invite. In fact George was in a very good mood indeed. He’d just watched his sister lead her team to it’s first top of the league finish in over two decades and he seemed to enjoy Daphne’s company immensely. 

Even though he’d lost the bet, Harry was pretty damn happy too. It had been the best Sunday afternoon he’d had in a long time. The game had been thrilling to watch and it made him annoyed that he hadn’t made more use out of his private box in the last few years. He was determined to come to more matches next season and it really made him want to fly more too. 

Ginny had flown the best he’d ever seen her and he couldn’t help feel a little proud of the player that he’d once had on his team. She had captained the ladies very well making use of the beaters to ensure they kept possession of the quaffle for the majority of the match and doing some really clever little passes between the chasers. Harry had spotted the snitch several times during the game and he could tell the Harpies seeker had seen it too but she did lots of little diversion tactics to keep the game going making sure she caught the little gold ball at the opportune moment. 

The home team was clearly the better one and deserved their victory. The only reason the game lasted as long as it did was because of the sheer number of goals Harry’s school captain had managed to save. Some of them were truly epic and would probably go down in Quidditch history. Even though his team had lost Harry had zoomed right in on Oliver’s face at the end and he could tell the man was pretty pleased with his performance nonetheless. He’d actually hugged Ginny fiercely when her victory was secured and seemed pretty proud of her too. Harry couldn’t help wonder if maybe there was more to that hug.

The company had been very good and he’d managed to stay on safe friendly territory with Draco throughout. He also felt like he knew Blaise a bit better now and although he couldn’t say they were the most natural of friends he did like the guy. He couldn’t imagine the two of them would ever really spend time together on their own but with Draco between them the dynamic was good. Harry had also enjoyed seeing more of Draco and Blaise interacting together. It was clear how close they were as friends. It was really good to sit back and watch Draco relax and have fun, Harry couldn’t help but think the man didn’t allow himself to relax that often. 

George excused himself after the match saying that he was eager to go and celebrate with his family and Daphne of course said she understood. He left her with a promise to swing by the shop and take her out for lunch one day this week which she looked happy about. Before he left, George made Harry promise to come to The Burrow later for the after party but Harry didn’t need much convincing. He was half upset that he’d missed out on seeing his Goddaughter’s face during her first Quidditch game and knew what Ron would want to tell him all about it. He was in no hurry to leave his new Slytherin friends though and it was still early. George said they’d already set up tents and fireworks in the garden in the hopes of an epic celebration so Harry knew it was bound to be a late night one and he had time to get there!

Just as they’d arrived early to avoid the main crowds, they stayed in the box for a while chatting and reliving the best moments of the game letting the rest of the stands empty before they made their move. As such their walk back from the box to the grounds with Draco under the cloak again was easy and no one bothered them. Harry didn’t need to take Draco back to Daphne’s as he could picture his destination clearly this time so could apparate himself under the cloak. He was a little disappointed not to have the excuse to touch Draco again but he pushed the thought to the back of his mind.

Harry apparated back to Daphne’s too though so he could take the cloak back from Draco once he’d finished with it. Plus there was the small matter of the other thing in his backpack that he’d yet to give him.

They appeared back again on Daphne’s front door step. Her parents, like most wizarding families had put jinxes up to stop people apparating directly into their home but the gate at the end of the driveway was really more for show than security. Draco had already taken the cloak off when Harry landed (thankfully a bit more gracefully this time) and had bundled it up ready to give back to Harry. Blaise was looking at the material closely but he didn’t say anything.

“Are you coming inside for a drink Harry?” Daphne asked sweetly.

“No thank you Daphne, I’ve already had a few and need to apparate to The Burrow where I have no doubt there will be plenty of alcohol waiting for me!” He laughed.

“Of course. Well we won’t keep you, thank you so much for today though, it was really very enjoyable.” She said smiling.

“No problem! Anytime any of you want to use the box again next season just let me know and I’ll arrange it.” Harry said genuinely. 

“Thank you Harry, I may well take you up on that.” Blaise said, holding out his hand once again for Harry to shake. “Looking forward to our date on Saturday!” He said cheekily.

“With the three of us there it’s hardly a date is it?!” Harry laughed, shaking his hand back.

“Ever heard of a polyamorous relationship?!” Blaise said with a wink. “Let us know when and where!” He said quickly before Harry could even respond to the first comment and then he walked into the house.

Daphne turned her cheek in expectation and Harry kissed it lightly as friends would before she followed Blaise into the house.

Draco stepped forward and held the cloak out to him. “Thank you for letting me borrow it. It helped a lot and I did enjoy the outing.” He said quietly and a little too formally.

Harry thought this polite detached quiet Draco was the one he slipped into when he was worried about revealing too much. He didn’t like him nearly as much as the laughing carefree relaxed Draco he’d caught glimpses of but he knew it was still early days in their friendship and he thought there was still a lot he didn’t know about him.

“You’re welcome.” He said taking the cloak and putting it back in his backpack. “You can borrow it anytime you know, erm, if it ever helps you, if you ever need it. Just let me know and it’s yours.” Harry said quietly.

“Oh… wow, thank you Harry.” Draco said softly, seemingly surprised at the gesture of kindness.

“Erm, before I go, er, I actually have something else to give you too.” Harry said before he changed his mind.

“Oh?” Draco said a little louder and a little warmer than before. He smiled and looked intrigued.

Harry took a deep breath. It was now or never he supposed. He took two scrolls of parchment out of his backpack and held them out to Draco.

Draco blinked in surprise but took them anyway. He held them like they were precious and was looking at them with a sort of wonder. 

“Is this…” He spoke softly again and trailed off as if he’d never spoken at all.

“The first two chapters of the book.” Harry said boldly with more confidence than he felt.

Maybe this was a stupid idea. Why on earth would he give them to Draco to read first? Yes they were sort of friends now but only just, this was really only their second meeting. What if everything in these pages brought it all back? Would all the hatred they felt towards each other all those years ago return? For some reason this new found friendship with Draco made him happy and he wanted to keep it. He felt this week like his life was finally going in a direction that he wanted. What if it all came crashing down?

“Wow, OK.” Was all Draco said back as he was processing. “We never really spoke about how exactly I was supposed to help you. You said you wanted me to write it with you but you’ve written these so am I just proofreading?” 

“I do want you to write it with me. I just had to get a start with it this week just to get something down on paper to make myself feel better about it all but we can always rewrite it if you want to.” Harry started. “The thing is, it’s mainly the end bits I guess that I wanted to write with you, to give you control of your narrative there… the beginning well it’s easier I suppose, it’s a bit less heavy and you’re not actually named in the first two chapters at least.”

“Oh.” Draco said, surprised. “Not sure if I should be offended or not that I’m not in the beginning! Guess this is before Hogwarts then?”

“Erm, no, it’s not. I’m not going to write about before Hogwarts. I just highlighted the facts I guess…” Harry said a bit awkwardly like he did when he was anxious. 

“Technically you are in these chapters you’re just not named… I- erm, I said I wouldn’t name the villains and I’m sorry but I guess in the beginning you kind of were to me, but only in the beginning! ...and the middle I guess… Later on though it will be different… Well I’m sure you’ll recognise yourself but don’t hate me or it or anything, I was just writing it how I saw it and then hopefully maybe you’ll understand. I thought maybe you could just read it and then maybe we could talk about it but like I said if you want to change it then that’s fine too.” Harry said quickly and not entirely coherently.

“Right OK… that's fair.” Draco said slowly, still looking at the scrolls in his hands and still not giving away any emotion.

“Has anyone else read these yet?” He asked quietly, his voice sounding like a lost little boy.

“No.” Harry spoke gently and honestly. “I wanted you to be the first.”

There was a pause in which Harry yet again questioned his decision. Why was it important that Draco was the first? Surely it would make more sense for Hermione or someone closer to Harry to read it first. He had no idea if he was even a good writer, wouldn’t it be wise to get someone else’s opinion on that first like Luna?

Harry spoke again to fill the silence as Draco still hadn’t spoken. “Erm, you can owl me if you want, I can borrow one to reply if needed but I don’t actually have an owl so maybe just floo call me when you’ve read it and we can meet up to discuss? Er, if you want. Anyway it’s 12 Grimmauld Place and you can leave a message with Kreacher if I’m not around and I’ll call you back.”

Harry half mumbled as he ran his hand through his hair again.

Then Draco finally looked up into Harry’s eyes and he knew there and then that he’d made the right decision to give the chapters to Draco even if he still didn’t know why.  
Draco needed this. It seemed to mean a lot to him that Harry would single him out in this way and reveal himself to Draco first before all others.

“Thank you.” Draco said softly as he clutched the scrolls to his chest and walked into Daphne’s house. He hesitated slightly before he closed the door behind him. “I’ll floo call you.”

*~*

Harry decided to apparate one hill over from the Burrow again so he could walk over the fields a bit before arriving. He needed to clear his head and just have fifteen minutes alone before being surrounded by people again. It was getting a bit colder now as October had arrived but it was still pleasant enough to walk in with the jumper he was wearing. Plus that’s what warming charms were for. 

His mind was once again on the enigma that was Draco. He had so many sides to him and was clearly good at acting the part and hiding his emotions most of the time, but then Harry seemed to be able to get through every now and then and find the raw fragile boy underneath sometimes. Last Saturday he hadn’t been too sure but after their casual and easy interactions all afternoon he felt sure that they were now friends. It had been surprisingly easy to switch from enemies, to strangers, to friends. He couldn’t help but wonder what the next step in their relationship would be and whether that transition would be easy too. 

Obviously he wasn’t thinking romantically, that was ridiculous, he just meant that being simple friends wasn’t quite enough for him. He could be friends and with Daphne and Blaise but Draco… he wanted to be special to Draco for some reason. He wanted to matter to him, to be an important part of his life. He had no idea why he wanted this, but then hadn’t he always had Draco’s attention? He always made it out like Draco antagonised him but then hadn’t he sometimes initiated their petty interactions at school? He could have just ignored Draco but he’d always wanted the man’s advances for some reason. 

Ron and Hermione would always be his oldest friends. They’d been through so much together that ultimately their friendship could survive anything even if it was rocky sometimes. Even though they couldn’t always understand Harry they still knew more about some parts of him than anyone else. The parts that they couldn’t understand of him Fred and George always did and he was grateful to have them too. Between his four best friends he could always get the comfort and support he needed as well as have a good time. 

However, despite being lucky enough to have four best friends, sometimes he still managed to feel left out. Ron and Hermione had each other in a way that Harry could never quite be a part of. Marriage was a special bond and it really made them each other’s family. Fred and George were also family of course and they had their own special relationship that Harry still felt outside of in a way. He couldn’t help but wonder what it would be like to have one person in his life that was truly special to him and only him in that way. Someone who could give him everything that Ron, Hermione, Fred and George gave him separately but all from one person. 

He always thought that person would be his future husband and then he would truly have a proper family member in the eyes of the law who could be his very best friend as well. However when he thought about this vague image of his future husband he could never quite see how this mystery man could understand the parts about him that came from school and the war and everything he had been through there. Somehow he realised that Draco might be able to understand it all if he explained it to him. Could Draco be that person that Harry had been looking for? Was it even possible?

He really couldn’t see himself married to Draco at all at any point in the future that was just bizarre but he thought they could be important to each other as friends… close friends… a best friend that happened to be incredibly attractive and also gay… OK maybe that was dangerous to think about. Just because the man was gay didn’t automatically mean he would fancy Harry. They would be friends, Harry was determined about that. He could put the physical attraction to one side, it didn’t mean anything, it was likely just a crush and there was no way that Draco would like Harry in that way. The man had only just begun to tolerate Harry and accept his friendship which was a miracle in itself so anything more was just silly to think about and Harry didn’t know if he actually wanted anything more yet. These new feelings were very confusing. He couldn’t really remember the last time he’d felt attracted to anyone. 

He decided to just put any possible feelings of attraction towards Draco to the back of his head. It was likely just physical and didn’t mean anything. He just wanted to focus on the book and sorting his own head out first like Daphne had said. He wasn’t in the right place to be thinking about a possible relationship yet anyway and he doubted that Draco would want an actual relationship even if it was what Harry decided he wanted. Which he hadn’t. Draco no doubt had much higher standards then Harry and even though Harry knew he had a decent body he didn’t think he was quite in the same league as Draco in terms of physical attraction. That man was gorgeous. 

Nope. Don’t think about that, Harry told himself. Concentrate on the book, get to know Draco, be his friend. Three simple things, he could do that.

As he came over the last hill the Burrow came into view, because Harry had obviously been there countless times before he could see what muggles couldn’t due to the protective charms around the place. As he got nearer he could already hear the music playing in the garden and smell the BBQ food cooking. Then he heard the familiar sounds of chatter, chaos and the young girls running around and squealing. He smiled to himself as he got ready to put his thoughts away and allow himself to relax. 

He realised he hadn’t brought any dreamless sleep with him which he felt slightly panicked about but he would no doubt drink enough tonight that it wouldn’t matter. He never needed it when he was drunk as an excess of alcohol had the same effect of relaxing him enough to crash into bed without worrying about all the nightmares that hadn’t managed to escape his brain. It was one of the reasons why he liked alcohol so much!

Everyone decided to sleepover at the Burrow, even Bill, Fleur and the kids. Bill and Fleur were sleeping in Bill and Charlie’s old room with the kids sleeping in the children’s room Molly had created for her grandchildren in Percy’s old room. The twins had their old room still of course and Hermione and Ron slept in Ron’s old room with a cot for Rose. 

Ginny herself arrived later on after a bit of a celebration with her team and yes, you guessed it, she arrived hand-in-hand with Oliver Wood himself who was looking delighted despite his team’s loss. Apparently their relationship was incredibly new, as in it had literally just happened! They’d been flirting on and off for the best part of a year but had both been training so hard that nothing had happened but in the moment Oliver had grabbed her for a hug at the end of the match they both knew what they wanted and decided to just jump in with both feet. 

Harry was really pleased for them and thought they made a good couple but he couldn’t help feeling a bit jealous about how easily they had suddenly just decided to be together and make each other happy. Was it really that easy for some people? Did others struggle like he did?

Both quidditch players were greeted with a massive cheer and plenty of hugs. Despite the surprise everyone seemed very happy to welcome Oliver into the family and suddenly it was as if him and Ginny had been dating for years instead of hours. Molly had worked hard to make space for everyone but she did immediately start worrying about where Oliver was going to sleep and she said he absolutely could not sleep in Ginny's room. Harry and Charlie quickly said that Oliver could share their tent in the garden, it was plenty big enough so then Molly relaxed again. 

Harry found it really nice to catch up with his old Quidditch captain again and Ron was gushing around him constantly talking about the epic saves the star had made that day. Clearly he was very happy about his sister’s new boyfriend despite the fact that he was usually very protective of her. Charlie was in charge of the BBQ and Harry eagerly agreed to help him out. Molly was sorting out the salad and cold food with Hermione’s help and Fleur started putting everything ready on the buffet table before Bill took over insisting that his wife should sit down and rest. 

Fred and George put themselves in charge of the entertainment of course and soon everyone was testing out their latest game which was indeed the wizard version of twister. It made everyone change colour when they put their hand or foot on a coloured circle. The girls absolutely loved it and Ron was enjoying sitting Rose on all the different dots and watching her change colour much to everyone’s amusement. Harry thought it was lucky for Ron that Hermione was occupied in the kitchen. The game seemed great though and ready to hit the shelves. 

Harry couldn’t help but think how much Teddy would enjoy it so he told George to put one aside for him and tried to convince him to charge it to his Gringotts vault despite the fact that the twins were still insisting that Harry doesn’t need to pay for anything even ten years after his initial investment into the business. Apparently Teddy was a bit under the weather today so Dromeda was keeping him at home. 

Harry made a mental note to call over tomorrow to see if he was feeling better and if Dromeda needed a break from caring for him as he had a feeling the little boy wouldn’t be in school. Dromeda was amazing with him but sometimes she could be a bit overprotective. Harry couldn’t blame her though after losing her husband, daughter and son-in-law. 

The party did indeed go on pretty much all night. Particularly since around midnight Fleur went into labour just as Fred had set off another round of fireworks. Of course Molly said it was all Fred’s fault! The Weasley matriarch then went into panic mode but Bill was calm and controlled as ever. He was getting ready to take Fleur to St. Mungos but the labour was just progressing too quickly for her to be moved so in the end he floo called for a healer and one stepped through the fireplace to deliver the baby instead. 

That was how Louis Weasley came to be born on the sitting room floor of the Burrow in the early hours of the morning! He was smaller than both the girls had been as he had come a week early but he was perfectly healthy and absolutely gorgeous. He had his mother’s and Victoire’s blonde hair instead of Bill’s and Dominque’s red hair but facially he looked very much like Bill unlike Victoire who was a little mini copy of her mother. 

Fleur was absolutely fine too, as horrified as she had been to give birth at the party on the floor with everyone around (even though Molly had ushered them all out into the garden to give Fleur some privacy), she quickly got over it and was laughing about it afterwards. The labour had been much quicker and easier than her other two but Molly still insisted that the family stay at the Burrow for a couple of days at least before going back home. Although that was probably because she wanted as much time as possible with her first official grandson (Teddy was sort of an unofficial grandson to her)!

No one apart from Rose could go to sleep until they had at least two cuddles with the new little family member. George had topped up everyone’s drinks again just as some people had started sobering up. Fred let off another round of fireworks in celebration of Louis’ arrival which ended up waking Rose up anyway much to Hermione’s disapproval. After that Hermione was the first to go to bed trying to get Rose back off to sleep too. She was closely followed by Fleur who was exhausted and her daughters who had stayed up way way way past their bedtime. Bill stayed downstairs for a while besotted with his new son and only took him upstairs to gently wake Fleur when it was time for his second feed a couple of hours later.

After baby Louis had gone upstairs everyone else finally decided to start drifting off to bed. Harry was pretty drunk but he definitely wasn’t the only one, even Molly was quite tipsy much to everyone’s enjoyment! The only person completely sober was Fleur who obviously hadn’t touched a drop but Bill and Hermione both took their parenting responsibilities pretty seriously too so hadn’t really had too much. Ron however had not held back and both Ginny and Oliver were enjoying the fact that they could relax properly for a bit at the end of the Quidditch season. Harry was again very grateful that he no longer had to go to work in the morning.

In fact all the Weasleys (apart from Hermione) ended up taking the next day off from work to recover as none of them had slept much and the excitement was very much in the air. This family was special and they all had such a strong bond, they just wanted to be together. Even Fred and George managed to take a rare last minute day off together despite the fact they still had to get early to quickly check in at the shop. After they made sure Verity was OK opening up and their new recruit Graham could manage the owl orders for the day they came back to the Burrow armed with treats and breakfast items from the bakery in Diagon Alley. 

Apparently George had also called in at Pierre’s (as the new potions shop had become fondly known as) to buy an ample stock of their ready made hangover potions to serve at breakfast too much to everyone’s amusement. No doubt they did come in handy but Harry also wondered if George had used it as an excuse to briefly see Daphne again. Slowly others started getting up and combining what the twins had bought with the items in Molly’s cupboard brunch turned out to be very nice indeed. The atmosphere was lovely as everyone was still basking in the glow of the new addition to the family. 

Louis already seemed like a very chilled out baby and certainly didn’t seem to mind the hustle and bustle of the Burrow. It was probably a good thing that he’d been born into the chaos of a family gathering as he seemed to be used to it already! Victoire had been quite a difficult and clingy baby but then she had been born during a very different time where people were still stressed and grieving after the war. Teddy had been even worse than her but then his first year had been very challenging for everyone. Thankfully he had grown into a calm and accepting child.

Fred seemed in a good mood at brunch too just like he had been the previous evening. Harry was worried that Fred had been avoiding him but not coming to the private box during the game but he acted no different around Harry at the Burrow and seemed in good spirits now that his foot was fully healed. They’d never really acted as a ‘couple’ around the other Weasleys anyway they always just behaved as friends would. Harry was still a bit worried about Fred and still couldn’t help but feel a bit guilty, his friend’s happiness meant a lot to him, but he found that he wasn’t pining after Fred like he thought he might. 

He couldn’t really tell if Fred was missing him or not. He had indeed managed to charm a few people at the game and apparently had quite a few contacts that he could call on for ‘dates’ in the coming weeks. Except Fred didn’t really do the whole ‘go out to a nice restaurants’ dates, it was more like ‘let’s meet at a bar for a couple of drinks and then go straight back to my place’ kind of dates. Harry was torn about this. He didn’t feel jealous or possessive over Fred at all and if this is what Fred wanted then Harry was happy for him but he wasn’t sure if throwing himself into the bed of multiple strangers was actually that good for him. 

He was accepting of the fact that Fred never wanted to get married or have children, certainly that wasn’t for everyone which was totally fine, but knowing Fred like he did he thought that secretly he might crave some sort of stability and comfort from one person. After all he’d been happy to have that with Harry. Maybe it was because he knew it was never going to last with him though. Fred did have a bit of a commitment issue, he liked to be spontaneous and live in the moment. He didn’t even like committing to what to have for dinner that night! He always said that he might change his mind when the time came. Still Harry wondered whether there would be a good balance to be had for Fred. Someone who he could be in an open relationship with that gave him all the comforts of a long term partner but still allowed him the freedom and flexibility he needed. He didn’t want Fred to be alone especially if things went as well for George and Daphne as he thought they might.

Harry didn’t want to be alone either. He did feel a bit lonely when he was home, especially at night but he was enjoying Grimmauld Place more than he thought he might. It was starting to feel more like home and it was no longer the prison that he once considered it to be. It was nice to have somewhere that felt like home in a way and he thought he should have made more of an effort to make it his home before instead of running away from it and just drifting along. It provided him with a certain calmness that he thought had been missing from his life. 

He had always been worried about being alone before as when he was alone the negative thoughts and memories circulated too much in his head so surrounding himself by people at work then at the flat or the Burrow had been his way of coping. However, he had also been very stressed at work and had relied a lot on the calming potions he had kept in his desk. He actually found he had a stock of them at home now as he hadn’t needed to take one in a while. Being left to his own thoughts during his time alone wasn’t as bad as he thought it would be.

It was actually nice to have Kreacher around though, it meant that he wasn’t the only living thing in the house. He was also considering whether he should get a pet too. He switched between being an extrovert sometimes and an introvert other times but mostly nowadays it was the later. He didn’t really like going out much but then he didn’t like being alone either. The right balance was struck when he was around people he was comfortable with like the Weasleys as he could just sit back and watch them be loud and have fun without necessarily joining in too much. Consequently he found that he was constantly leaving the TV on in Grimmauld Place now. It was comforting to have chatter and noise going on in the background, he didn’t like silence. Kreacher always moaned about the noise from ‘the muggle box on the wall’ but Harry didn’t mind that. The noise of Kreacher moaning in the background actually helped him out too. 

He had recently taken to sleeping on the sofa too with the TV still on. It was probably a bad habit to get into but his bed felt too big and too empty. He could sleep in it with a whole vial of dreamless sleep potion as that knocked him out like nothing else did. However, he had been rapidly consuming his weekly order and decided against adding anymore to his order now that Draco knew it was him so he eased back to half a vial relying on the noise of the TV to comfort him if the dose didn’t last as long during the night. Maybe he should put a TV in his bedroom too, or at least a radio.

As he arrived back home early afternoon on Monday after helping Molly clean up the Burrow a bit. Just as he sat down in the lounge his mind wandered back to it’s favourite topic at the moment: Draco. He wondered whether Draco had read the scrolls Harry had given him yet and what he thought about them if he had. How long would it take for him to read and digest them? How would he feel about what he read? When would he floo call and what would happen when he did?

Well to use a muggle expression, the ball was in Draco’s court now.  
All Harry could do was wait.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aww! Another little new background relationship and a baby! <3


	14. Draco: Monday 3rd October-Wednesday 5th October

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this chapter is when we finally start to focus more on the book and things go to the next level with Harry and Draco!  
> I know it's taken a while to set up, hopefully you like that as it adds to the richness of this world but the book that Harry and Draco are writing together will definitely be the focus of the plot from now and their relationship will start to heat up pretty quickly too (I think- still not 100% how quickly so it might be up and down slightly but they are making progress as you'll see in this chapter and especially the next one!)  
> There is a bit of Daphne at the beginning in this chapter but things for the next few chapters will be mostly focusing on Harry and Draco. Don't worry though all the side characters will still be around and I'll definitely include some more fun and fluff with them throughout too. Trying to get the right balance! :)  
> *~*  
> It goes start to get a bit intense towards the end here, I don't think there is anything majorly trigger worthy but please check the tags if you're worried. Sorry if there is something I haven't tagged for.  
> *~*  
> Also, random side note, I wrote this chapter a few days ago whilst listening to James and Oliver Phelp's 'Double Trouble' podcast on Youtube where they featured a chat with Tom Felton! It was so good, my little Fred, George and Draco all together! I'd recommend checking it out!

It was absolutely ridiculous but Draco had never actually said he was gay out loud to anyone before like that. The first person he’d come out to had been Blaise but Blaise had guessed before Draco actually said anything. Then, with Draco’s permission, Blaise had told Daphne so Draco never actually had to say it. It’s not like he was ashamed to say the words out loud or anything, he just preferred to avoid any conversations about his personal life and emotions so when Blaise had asked if he could tell her it seemed like the easy way out.

Other than them there was no one important in Draco’s life to tell. They were his only friends, his family now really. He’d never told his parents of course even though he’d almost implied it when he told his mother he’d never marry a witch. Who else was there to tell? He didn’t speak to anyone else and he’d never had to actively declare it to anyone to get laid in France. His casual hook ups there had just sort of happened after making eye contact with a guy on the dancefloor or being propositioned at the bar. Sometimes he’d been approached by women too but he’d just politely said that he wasn’t interested. Actually he’d said that to a lot of men too, he’d always had standards and never quite slept with ‘just anybody’.

Now though he’d told Harry that he was gay and there was no getting that back. He wasn’t quite sure what made him say it but he had just wanted the other man to know. The worst thing was there hadn’t really been any reaction to it. Harry hadn’t seemed surprised but the match had started so it had distracted him and forced them to take their seats. Draco wanted to know how Harry felt about this piece of information. He knew Daphne would never have told him so the man couldn't have known, he might have guessed though he supposed. 

Harry hadn’t really treated him any different after the revelation but then Draco was still learning about his reactions and how to read him. Certianly he’d carried on being friendly afterwards so it obviously didn’t bother him, maybe he had other gay or bisexual friends, it wasn’t really that uncommon. But he hadn’t seen any sign of flirting after that moment and Harry had spent more time talking to Blaise. Was he worried that if he paid too much attention to Draco then Draco would think he was interested? Does that mean that Harry isn’t interested?

Maybe now Harry knew he’d come forward with his own sexual orientation as Draco was sure with everything he’d seen and heard that he was potentially interested in men. Harry had definitely been looking at him with a certain hunger in his eyes that was unmistakable. He’d tried to cover it when he realised he’d been staring but Draco had seen it. So he felt confident that Harry at least found him attractive but then Draco knew he was a good looking guy and even straight men can surely still tell if another man is attractive or not so that might be all it was. After all Draco could still appreciate a woman’s beauty even if it did nothing for him sexually.

Harry’s reaction to Blaise walking arm in arm with him hadn’t done anything to clarify matters. He obviously wasn’t homophobic or bothered about people thinking he was gay so that was good but didn’t necessarily mean anything. Blaise had also given Harry a few flirty looks, Draco wasn’t bothered he did this with everyone and for Blaise it had been subtle. Draco felt confident that if his friend didn’t know that Draco fancied Harry (as that’s definitely what it was now) then he would have come on to him a lot stronger. 

Harry hadn’t done anything to encourage Blaise, he hadn’t flirted back at all but he hadn’t shown any sign of being uncomfortable with a man flirting with him. Maybe he was just used to people of both genders flirting with him, he was the Saviour after all and a good-looking man, he probably got people coming on to him all the time, or maybe he’d just been too oblivious to notice. 

Draco hadn’t really decided what to do about the fact that he obviously fancied Harry, he kept going back and forth. There was a part of him that had always longed for a proper relationship and the idea of having that with Harry made him smile but also laugh at the same time. It was a ridiculous idea. Even if Harry did fancy him back, which he didn’t think was the case, and even if they could make it work between him the press would have a field day. It would hardly fit in with the quiet private life Draco was trying to lead. No that would be no good. 

Perhaps though he could have one last hook up or maybe something casual. The idea of being Harry’s lover intrigued him, there was no doubt that he wanted to see what was beneath those clothes. He’d been fantasising about the man a lot and definitely would love to have the real thing. Then again, Harry was someone that he actually liked spending time with too and he very much wanted him to be his friend and stay in his life, would sex complicate that? 

Draco knew in his gut that he’d have trouble keeping things casual, he was too possessive for that and he definitely didn’t want to be someone’s dirty little secret. He supposed he’d just carry on befriending the man and maybe flirting with him a little here and there just to see where it led. He didn’t like not having a plan, not having an end goal but that was the best he could do at the moment.

Then there was this book to consider. He had been horrified when Harry first mentioned it and it definitely didn’t fit with his plan to live a quiet private life either. Harry seemed to be challenging him on that front quite a lot at the moment. Then Draco once again tried to work out if he really wanted to hide forever. It had been so thrilling to be out in the wizarding world again yesterday. After he relaxed into the game he’d completely forgotten that no one could see or hear him and it felt like he just had a normal life for a couple of hours there. Now he’d had a taste of that he couldn’t help but wonder what his life would be like if he didn’t have to hide.

He hadn’t actually experienced any negativity with the press since his trial to be fair but then again he’d all but disappeared from public life so he hadn’t given them anything to write about. There was part of him that thought maybe it wouldn’t be as bad as he thought. Maybe they’d moved on from the war and forgotten all about the Malfoys and the Death Eaters. It was seven years ago after all… but then he knew that was just wishful thinking. The mark he carried on his arm would always be there, everyone knew what it stood for and there would always be people who hated him for it. 

His mind once again drifted to the scrolls Harry had given him. They were sitting on his bedside table and he’d had yet to read them. He didn’t know why he hadn’t read them last night. There had been plenty of time after he’d got back from Daphne’s but maybe he was just trying to put it off. Harry had indicated that what he’d written in these chapters hadn’t exactly painted Draco in a good light and he could well believe it. If he’d started in first year, which he assumed he had, then Draco knew he’d be reading about himself as an arrogant bully. 

That was fair of course, it was the truth, but it didn’t mean he liked to be reminded of it. He was also worried about revisiting the past like this would affect his new found friendship with Harry. Part of him wanted to leave it all in the past buried and move on but he knew that wasn’t healthy. Harry was an emotional person and actually so was Draco even though he would never admit to that. He kept his emotions buried most of the time but he knew from past experiences that when he did that too much eventually they’d all bubble over and he’d have some sort of emotional breakdown. If they tried to forget about their past and be friends without acknowledging any of it then one day it was bound to come back to bite them. 

Also if he was honest, he would quite like the opportunity to own up to everything he’d done in the past and say sorry. If Harry could still be his friend after they revisited everything in their history then he knew that would be a friendship worth keeping. He’d thought about it a lot those first few years after the war. He’d even written apology letters to each of the Golden Trio saying how sorry he was for all his past actions but then he’d just burned them.

Not wanting to think about what Harry had written just yet and not knowing whether he wanted to pursue Harry as more than friends or not he decided to put it all out of his mind for now. Daphne would be here soon to open up the shop so he headed downstairs ready to greet her as he always did. 

The business was going well, at least that was something, and the new routine he’d put into place with Daphne was good. This was one area of his life that he could control. He was good at what he did and he was already seeing the results in his slowly rising Gringotts vault. Monday was a brewing day so all he had to today was shut everything out of his mind and brew. 

That he could do, that he was good at.

Daphne knocked on the back door at 8:50 as she always did and Draco once again checked to make sure it was definitely her before letting her in. He supposed one day he should key her into the wards so she could let herself in but so far he was too paranoid to do that just yet. It wasn’t like he didn’t spend every day here so he could let her in quite easily. 

“Morning Darling.” Came her usual greeting.

There was something off about her though this morning. Draco noticed straight away that she seemed worried about something.

“What’s wrong?” He asked immediately.

Daphne sighed knowing better than to deny it. “I got a letter from your parents last night.”

“Ah, I should have known.” Draco said frustrated but unsurprised. “At first I received a letter everyday but I haven’t had one in a week now. I knew Lucius wouldn’t just give up, I thought he must be changing tactics so I was just waiting for his next move. This apparently is it… You did check it for spells, potions or anything abnormal before you opened it right?”

“Of course I did! I’m not an idiot!” Daphne said back offended. “I’d recognise those eagle owls anywhere and the Malfoy crest was on the seal so I checked it all over before I even touched it. It was fine though.”

“Good, sorry I was just checking. So what did it say? I presume they were asking you if you knew of my whereabouts?” Draco asked.

“Not directly although I’m assuming that is their goal.” Daphne started. “They apologised for your behaviour which resulted in the engagement coming to an end. They assured me that whatever the cause they’re sure you regret it and between us they think we could resolve the matter. It was full of flattery about how I’d make the perfect daughter-in-law and even consisted of bribery reminding me that you would get access to your main vault when you get married and they would ensure I would get my own vault matching yours. They invited me for dinner on Saturday evening at the Manor to discuss the matter.”

“Ah I see. So they’re trying to put the engagement back into place. A little flawed as even if you agreed to it they would still have to find me but I suppose they would rely on you to lure me out. Using Mother isn’t working for Lucius so he wants to use you instead. It does make sense.” Draco said, thinking out loud.

“Well you can’t go.” He said flatly. “I assume Blaise told you that he tried to put me under the Imperius Curse. He’ll be even more desperate now and I wouldn’t put it past him to attempt to control you in the same way… or a mind controlling potion in your food, that perhaps would be more likely given he has had time to plan this. He could even force veritaserum on you and then ask-”

“You don’t need to list all the possibilities Draco, of course I’m not going to go.” Daphne interrupted.

“Right. Sorry.” Draco said, clearly frustrated at the whole thing. “Have you replied?”

“No.” Daphne said simply. “I wanted to ask you what I should do. I can either just ignore it or I can write back to say I have no interest in reforming the engagement and I shall never see you or them again.”

“The later I think, maybe you should also say that the engagement ended because you found out I still had a lover in France or something, suggest to them that you think I might have returned there but that you really have no idea and couldn't care less. Will you draft something today and let me see it before you send it please?” Draco asked and Daphne nodded. 

“Also, I know we’ve mostly been going to Blaise’s anyway on Fridays but we shouldn’t go out to anymore wizarding restaurants or anything. We’ve been careful so far and haven’t been seen together but I have been a bit more careless with Blaise on Tuesday nights, that will have to stop. If Lucius knows for definite that you or Blaise have any contact with me then he will find a way to get to you of that I am certain. Please be careful Daphne.”

“Yes I think you’re right, that would be for the best.” Daphne agreed but she didn’t look too worried about it. “But you don’t need to fret Draco, I will warn Blaise but we can handle ourselves you know. We’re always suspicious of everyone and everything too that helps!” 

“Ok thanks.” Draco said quietly. “I’m sorry for dragging you into this Daphne.”

“Draco, you didn’t drag us into anything.” Daphne said sternly. “We offered to help and we’re going to continue helping you and sticking by you no matter what because that’s what best friends do. Although I still think you should go to the Aurors-”

“Daphne don’t!” Draco sighed. “We’ve had this conversation, they’re never going to believe that I’m a victim and they’re never going to help me. I just don’t trust the Ministry and I still don’t fully trust that Lucius has no influence there. I just don’t want them involved in my life. They’ve left me alone since the trial and I don’t want to attract their attention in any way.”

“Fine. I won’t bring it up again. I just don’t think you’ll ever be able to live your life properly until something is done about Lucius.” Daphne said and then she walked straight through into the shop to open up before Draco had the chance to respond.

She wasn’t wrong though. Something did need to be done about him.

*~*

Draco managed to successfully bury all thoughts, feelings and emotions about Harry, the book and Lucius for a couple of days. He focused on his work, brewing all day and evening Monday until late without even stopping to eat. He knew if he stopped he would think. Meditation and yoga worked well before bed to keep everything locked away and he slept well enough despite the cheap lumpy mattress still bothering him. 

Tuesday he embodied his business persona as Pierre so that helped keep Draco’s thoughts buried too. He had customer meetings pretty much all day so he was pleased to keep busy. The bespoke part of his business was really growing now as the more presents he made the more people knew about him and were impressed enough to book their own appointment so they could get a present for someone else. He was making lots of bespoke perfumes, they were the most popular by far. In the old wizard families it was custom to give each other a gift for all Hallows Eve which was coming up. Of course not everyone kept this tradition, it was mainly the older generation but Draco was still hoping to capitalise on this. Then of course it wouldn’t be long until Yule and Christmas. 

The evening was spent with Blaise at his flat which was rapidly becoming a second home to Draco. They’d agreed to have their regular Tuesday and Friday night dinners here for now and other than that Draco wasn’t planning on leaving the shop building. Quidditch had been fun but now he was reminded that Lucius was very much still looking for him, he knew he couldn’t afford to go out again in public.

Blaise of course was quizzing Draco all about Harry and what he thought of him and what he was going to do about it. The picture of Blaise and Harry had indeed made the front page with Daphne in the background so now there were all sorts of rumours going round. Blaise of course loved the attention and was very amused by the rumours that the famous Harry Potter was his lover, however out of courtesy for Harry and Draco he kept denying it to everyone and made a statement in Witch Weekly about the fact that he and Daphne were becoming friends with Harry. 

As a young rich handsome wizard with a reputation, it wasn’t the first time that Blaise had appeared in the magazine. He was openly bisexual and was often photographed out and about with different dates, he was also well known for his business conncetions and part of his job was to wine and dine potential clients. As a result he was pretty much out every night, only keeping Tuesdays and Fridays free for his best friends. Daphne though often ended up joining Blaise on his dinner’s out and he sometimes used her powers of persuasion for his clients too. The press didn’t really hound him that much though, he was only a minor celebrity. 

The magazine had looked quite favourably on Harry’s friendship with his old Slytherin classmates. They painted him as a forgiving man who was just and fair to all and didn’t care about the old house and the possible associations of his new friends. It looked very good for his image and they didn’t say anything negative about Blaise or Daphne. It gave Draco a vague flicker of hope that if his friendship with Harry was ever made public then the press wouldn’t hate on him for it but he knew that there was a difference between being a Slytherin and being a Death Eater.

By Wednesday his strategy of repressing all his feelings and thoughts was crumbling. He woke up very early and tried to meditate to get himself back to sleep but it wasn’t working. He felt restless and he knew there was only one thing for it. If he didn’t confront some things now he’d probably have another breakdown. He reached over to his bedside table and picked up the scrolls that had sat there untouched since he’d come home on Sunday and started to read.

He read them once, then read them again and again. Then he sat for hours and just thought. He had an instinct about what he wanted to do and he usually trusted his instincts but it was a really stupid idea. He tried to talk himself out of it listing all the reasons why it was a terrible plan but the logic wasn’t enough to shake the feeling in his gut. He knew what the right things to do was.

He needed to talk to Harry.

Brewing was not going to happen today, he just wasn’t in the right frame of mind for it. Fortunately he’d worked for so many hours on Monday that he was all up to date with his work. He would take the day off today and then work all day Sunday on the new commissions that had just come in to make up for it. He paced around upstairs in his flat and waited until it was an acceptable time to floo call Harry. 

At 10 o’clock he decided he couldn’t wait anymore. He went down to his office where the fireplace was enabled for floo calls and knelt down on the floor and threw some floo powder into the fire saying the address he’d been given. When the flames turned green he stuck his head into them.

An elegant rectangular room came into view. It was quite grand and not somewhere that he would ever picture Harry living but on the wall opposite he could see the Black family tapestry so he knew he was in the right place.

“Harry? It’s Draco calling, are you there?” He said calmly. 

An old very ugly house elf who was pretty hunched over walked into view. He peered into the fire with a very curious expression.

“Master Draco Black is in the fire calling for Master Harry? Kreacher is honoured to serve the noble house of Black. Kreacher will go fetch Master Harry for Master Draco. Master Draco be waiting there one moment.”

The elf wandered off muttering under his breath about Harry and Draco and the Black family. He was a strange creature.

Harry took a while to arrive and Draco was pleased he’d cast a cushioning charm on the floor before he knelt down. When he did it was obvious he’d only just gotten out of bed. He was wearing blue chequered flannel pajama bottoms and a baggy grey T-shirt. He still looked quite groggy and his hair was absolutely indescribable in it’s messiness. Still though, he managed to look hot and Draco actually felt weirdly privileged to be seeing him in this natural state. He had this vision of relaxing in Harry’s home together in their pajamas or even waking up next to each other in the morning… No Draco, dangerous thoughts!

Harry blinked several times and seemed to wake himself up more before coming to kneel next to the fire. 

“Hey.” He said casually.

“Sorry Harry I didn’t mean to wake you but I did wait until an acceptable time, us working people are long up and awake by now!” Draco said in a jovial way but with an eyebrow raised.

He hadn’t been feeling cheerful all morning but suddenly seeing Harry, especially in this state automatically made him feel happier and forget his worries temporarily. 

“Sorry Draco. It is a bit of a bad habit I’m falling into now that I'm not working. I’m really not a morning person!” Harry smiled slightly but then Draco could see he looked slightly nervous. “So, erm, you ok?”

Then Draco remembered the reason why he was calling. He took a deep breath and got straight to the point. 

“I read the first two chapters.” He said simply with no hint of emotion. “I was wondering if you were free today to talk.”

“Right... sure, erm, of course.” Harry stumbled out in his not so eloquent way which Draco used to hate but now he was starting to find quite endearing. 

“Great, thank you.” Draco said, keeping formal but friendly. He couldn’t show any emotion yet. “I would prefer not to get into it now on a floo call. I can give you a bit of time to get ready if you like and then maybe we could meet face to face?”

“Yeah, that would be good.” Harry said flatly. Draco could tell that he was worried but he was trying to be calm. “I’ll just shower and get dressed then I can come over if you want. You got a flat above the shop yeah?”

Draco panicked slightly. He was thinking that Harry would invite him over, he couldn’t possibly let Harry see his abysmal flat.

“To be honest with you Harry I’d really rather come to you if that’s not too presumptuous of me. I haven’t had the time to properly equip my flat and it’s not really suitable for guests at the moment.” He said carefully blaming time rather than money.

“Oh.” Harry blinked in surprise but didn’t seem annoyed, just slightly concerned. “Er, yeah sure, I guess that would be fine. You can’t come through the floo it’s not connected for travel, security reasons you know. I mean my address isn't public knowledge but you never know.” 

“Not to worry, I have set up my fireplace in the same way anyway for calls only but not travel.” Draco replied honestly.

“Right, well the house is under the Fidelius charm with me as secret keeper but I gave you the address for the floo call so you should be able to apparate here and see it.” Harry said slightly nervously. “Just give me 10 minutes or so, I don’t take long to get ready.”

“Of course, thank you Harry. I know it’s short notice but I appreciate it and I’m grateful to be able to come to you.” Draco said sincerely. 

He felt slightly bad as he got the impression that Harry was a bit worried about having him over but he honestly didn’t know where else they could meet safely. He didn’t particularly want to use the office that he kept for business meetings but he supposed he probably should have offered instead of inviting himself over. Oh well it was done now and he’d be lying if he said he wasn’t intrigued about visiting Harry at his home. 

“No worries. See you in a bit.” Harry said flatly.

“See you soon.” Draco said and then pulled his head out of the fire just as Harry got up to walk away.

*~*

He left it fifteen minutes just to be sure. He hated being late for anything usually and didn’t really know what to do with himself for the short time he waited but he just wanted to give Harry enough time to get ready. He checked his appearance for one last time before he left. He was dressed simply in his everyday clothes of black slacks and a deep green long sleeved top today. He never wore robes anymore, they reminded him too much of Lucius. He left out of the back of the shop as usual making sure no one was around to see him. He checked all the security on the closed shop and when he was satisfied it would be secure in his absence he twisted on the spot thinking of number 12 Grimmauld Place.

A second later he arrived in the middle of an old square of London terraced town houses, straight opposite him was number 12. It was exactly as he imagined it from the brief bits of information he had about his Great Aunt’s old house but he’d never actually been here. She had died before he was born as had his mother’s cousin Regulus so in his lifetime the house had mostly been empty whilst it’s owner was in Azkaban. 

He crossed the empty street and knocked on the door. He expected to be greeted by the house elf but instead it was Harry himself who answered the door. He was dressed in normal blue jeans not quite as trendy or fitted as the ones he’s worn before and a plain black long sleeved top. His hair was slightly tidier than it had been earlier but looked slightly wirey. Draco made a mental note to give the man some proper luxury shampoo. 

He couldn’t smell the familiar sandalwood aftershave but there was a definite slight coconutty smell no doubt from whatever products Harry had just used in the shower. It wasn’t bad but it wasn’t Draco’s favourite. He wanted Harry to smell like his favourite scents, he’d have to change that.

“Hey, Draco. Come in.” Harry said smiling and stepping to the side with the door held open.

He seemed more confident about welcoming Draco into his house than he had been on the floo call.

“Thank you for having me. Sorry if I put you on the spot, I got the impression that I wasn’t exactly welcome but I just wasn’t sure where else to meet.” Draco said, stepping into the hallway. 

“No it’s not that at all, I’m sorry.” Harry spoke clearly and determinedly as if he was trying to convince himself too. “I know it’s stupid and I’m not sure how it came about honestly but I’m pretty private about my home. I never have anyone over but I want you to feel welcome here Draco. You’re a Black, this is more your home than mine in a way so you can come any time I promise.”

“Nonsense Harry, it’s your home, your Godfather gave it to you and I’m not bitter about that.” Draco considered for a moment. “Well I was actually when I found out to be completely honest with you, but that was a childish reaction and I don’t feel that way now.”

“Ok, well honesty is good but I’m glad you’re ok with it.” Harry said slowly and then shrugged. “Still you know how to find me now which not many people do so come anytime I guess.”

“Thank you for making me feel welcome but I won’t abuse the privilege.” Draco said formally. 

He was suddenly aware that this was the first time they were meeting without Daphne and Blaise. Their relationship had progressed pretty quickly already considering it was only a month ago that Draco was moving into his new home having not thought about Harry Potter for years. It had been intense so far and it wasn’t going to get any easier. He suddenly felt nervous and wondered if coming here had been a good idea.

Harry seemed to be thinking along the same lines as there was an awkward moment of both of them just standing in the hallway.

“Coffee!” Harry said suddenly and then cleared his throat looking slightly embarrassed. “Er, sorry, erm, I meant would you like coffee or tea or anything?”

“Coffee would be lovely actually thank you.” Draco said politely and then just seemed to carry on talking as it was less awkward that way. “I am actually rather fond of my coffee in the mornings.”

Harry gave a little low chuckle as he turned to go through a door on the right. Draco followed as Harry spoke.

“Yeah me too, I can’t function properly unless I’ve had coffee and I haven’t actually had one yet today!” He seemed more relaxed already.

They walked into a kitchen that was clearly quite new and not part of the original house. Draco knew that in most old rich wizarding houses the kitchens were downstairs in the cellar and usually only seen by the house elves. This kitchen had a mixture of wizard and muggle appliances it seemed as there were things that Draco didn’t recognise. It was modern and masculine all in shades of grey and black with the touch of metallic chrome. It was stylish but simple, clearly Harry had everything he needed here but nothing was too flashy. It reminded Draco a little bit of Blaise’s style except Blaise’s home was much more extravagant with a bit of a futuristic vibe to the place. This kitchen was slightly more industrial looking. There weren’t really any personal touches or decorations around though.

Harry seemed to be making the coffee himself instead of asking his house elf and wasn’t even using magic.

“Don’t you have a house elf for this? Or at least a wand?!” He said amused.

Harry turned round and smiled at him. “It tastes so much better the muggle way trust me! From bean to cup is the way to go if you really love your coffee. It takes longer but it’s worth it. How do you take it?”

“Black is fine, I don’t want to be a fuss.” Draco said quickly. Truthfully it wasn’t quite how his sweet tooth preferred coffee but he’d gotten used to having substandard balck coffee at his flat and it wasn’t too bad.

“Now come on that’s not the Draco I know!” Harry said with a grin. “The Draco I know loves to make a fuss and would tell me exactly how he liked his coffee then expect to be perfect!”

“Well perhaps I’ve changed.” Draco replied quickly but with a little smile of his own.

“Yes I rather think you have.” Harry said, giving him a curious look. He paused for a moment and then carried on. “But seriously I have it all so please be honest, milk, cream, flavoured syrup, sugar… whatever.”

Draco’s eyes lit up for a moment. “In that case my favorite is milky with cinnamon if you have that and it’s not too much trouble.”

“Cinnamon latte I should have known!” Harry said, clearly amused.

“Well I have no idea what that is but the house elves used to make me something at the manor that had milk, coffee and cinnamon that’s all I know.” Draco said instinctively. 

His mind wandered to one of the few good memories he had left of his childhood home but then his expression soured as he remembered the many other bad ones. Harry was still watching him carefully so he shook off his expression and forced himself to smile back at him.

“So do you really live above the shop now? Do you still go to the Manor?” He asked carefully as he turned back to the kitchen counter.

“Yes I live about the shop and no I don’t go to the Manor. I moved out a month ago and I don’t mean to ever return.” Draco said bitterly before wondering if he’d already revealed too much.

“Oh, right.” Harry replied. “Did, erm, well, did er something happen?” His tone was almost too casual.

“I’d rather not talk about it if you don’t mind.” Draco replied flatly.

“Oh sure… sorry.” Was Harry’s response as he continued to make the coffee.

There was silence for a short while but it wasn't too uncomfortable. Watching Harry relax in his kitchen doing simple things was nice, Draco thought to himself and it immediately relaxed him too. Draco found the process fascinating and there seemed to be some sort of machine involved.

After a while Harry was holding a large mug of black coffee that smelt very strong but Draco did love the smell of coffee. He then passed Draco a tall glass of caramel coloured liquid with a neat thin layer of white foam on top, it also had the coffee smell but there was a definite hint of cinnamon coming through. The smell alone was enough to make Draco’s mouth water and he just had to taste it.

He brought it to his lips, it was the perfect temperature. Harry seemed to be watching him eagerly as if he really wanted Draco to like it. He took a sip, it was pure bliss and he couldn’t even hide his reaction.

“Sweet Salazar Harry, this is the best coffee I’ve ever had. How did you do that?!” Draco said in awe.

Harry laughed but he seemed happy. “You’ve clearly never been to a proper coffee shop then. The muggles have loads of them and there are so many different types of coffee, they’re much more into it than we are. I got into coffee when I started working as an auror, I seriously needed the caffeine and at first any coffee would do. Then I started going to this muggle coffee shop round the corner from the Ministry sometimes on my break just to get out of the building and the coffee there was just so much better than what we had in the office. After that I couldn’t go back!”

“In the end I started watching closely how they make it, then I looked into what I needed to get for home and it became a bit of a hobby of mine I guess, now I’m a bit of a coffee snob. This still isn’t as good as how the proper baristas make it but I’ve definitely improved my skills over the last month being at home more.” He continued as they sat in the kitchen and drank their coffee.

Draco was enjoying his too much to talk and was enjoying just sitting in Harry’s kitchen listening to him even if he didn’t understand everything that Harry was saying. “You won’t be able to get the proper machine I’m afraid, muggle appliances don’t work in Diagon Alley, too much magic around but I did get a hand pump espresso machine for Fred and George as well as a french press. Requires a bit of effort and a bit of muscle but you can still use them all to get decent freshly ground coffee.”

“If you say so!” Draco said. 

“You can just buy ground coffee of course but freshly ground is so much nicer and you can grind the beans by magic so there’s no excuse. You can froth the milk with magic too if you like milky coffee. It’s easier than the muggle way and doesn’t require the equipment obviously but it doesn’t taste quite as good.” Harry chatted away. “Funnily enough the thing on the machine that the muggles use to froth the coffee is called a steam wand.” 

“Oh, I never really questioned how the house elves made it but we certainly didn’t have any muggle equipment so I assumed you could make it all my magic. I have to agree with you that this tastes better though.” Draco replied in a friendly way.

“Well I can teach you the spells if you want.” Harry said, taking another sip of his coffee.

“Yeah I guess I’d like that, just don’t really know where to buy stuff from.” Draco said feeling relaxed and forgetting that Harry wasn’t Blaise or Daphne.

All the coffee chat had definitely helped ease the tension and now it just seemed like they were two old friends who always chatted together over coffee. It was really nice and Draco couldn’t help but think he could get used to this. He then realised he’d admitted to being clueless about the real world and was close to admitting that the cupboard of his pathetic tiny kitchen was basically empty.

Harry frowned. “But you’ve lived on your own for like a month so surely you’ve been to the shops to get milk and food and stuff?” 

“Of course I have.” Draco said defensively. “I just clearly haven’t looked properly, I don’t have a lot of time but I’ll definitely get some… things in.” He said, trying to cover his tracks. 

Even Blaise and Daphne didn’t know the true extent of how little he fed himself nowadays. He did have a small amount of money piling up he just kept forgetting to find out where to buy stuff from. Also he still hated being poor, he felt vulnerable without money and would rather watch it pile up than spend it at the moment. He mostly just survived off sustenance potions and his meals with his friends a couple of times a week but he definitely was getting thinner and more tired.

He bought all his potions and product ingredients via owl from a wizarding company so maybe there was a food equivalent. Muggle shops were an option but he didn’t even know where they were or how to get to them and he didn’t even know how to use muggle money. He might have to start dressing as Pierre more and explore the wizarding shops, surely that would be safe.

Harry was still looking at him a bit unsure as he spoke. “Well if time is the issue then you can give Kreacher a list of things you need if you want and the money for it. I’m sure he wouldn’t mind, he gets all the main groceries to fill the kitchen here. There is a wizarding food market somewhere in London that he goes to… or if it’s only a few things then I can grab some bits for you. I pop to the muggle shops a reasonable amount cos there’s still things they have that for some reason haven’t made it into the wizarding world yet, like coke and oreos! Plus I prefer the muggle whiskey, it burns less than firewhiskey and you can actually taste it.”

Draco was half wondering what on earth coke and oreos were but then he snapped out of it and automatically became defensive at Harry’s offer to help. “I’m fine, I don’t need help.” He said quickly.

There was a slightly awkward silence once more and Draco wondered if he’d snapped a little harshly. Part of him wanted to accept the offer, he could pay for a few things after all, but he wasn’t even sure what to ask for in terms of ingredients as he wasn’t confident he’d know how to prepare them anyway.

He was just trying to think of another topic of conversation when he remembered that there was a reason why he came here today. Things were about to get heavy and intense again and it would be the first true test of this new fragile friendship. Harry also seemed to realise that Draco wasn’t just here for coffee. The other man cleared his throat and then spoke.

“So, erm, you- you came to discuss the book right? Er, do you want to go somewhere more comfortable, the lounge maybe?” Harry said running a hand through his black birds nest of hair again as he often did.

Draco wasn’t quite sure what a lounge was but he assumed Harry meant some sort of sitting room or parlour. “Sure.” He said. “Lead the way.”

“Well actually I was going to say for you to go ahead. I just want to… erm, clear up here... it’s the other door near the front door where you came in, the room opposite this. Just sit anywhere, make yourself at home and I’ll be right there.” Harry said casually but Draco couldn’t help feel like he might be up to something, still who was he to argue.

He got up and went out through the kitchen door to the door opposite and thought this must be the right room. It was traditionally where he would expect to find a smaller sitting room and he imagined the grander drawing room he’d seen in the floo was above this one. 

Walking into the room it wasn’t like anything he’d expect to see in a Black family house, actually it wasn’t like anything he’d expect to see in any wizarding house. He’d only been to pure-blood homes after all or Blaise’s penthouse. Clearly Harry had redone the whole place. It was a modest room, not really that small but it had lots of furniture in which made it seem quite cosy. It was quite simple and stylish still but slightly less modern looking than the kitchen and a bit more homely. It had quite a masculine feel to it again with a darker colour palette of rich browns and deep greens but there were lighter tones thrown in so it definitely didn’t feel oppressive. In fact it was very nicely done and there was something about it that was very Harry. Draco had half wondered if his whole house would be in Gryffindor red but he was pleased to see the greens. Green was his favourite colour. Green like Harry’s eyes...

It was clean, there was no doubt about that, he suspected that was down to Kreacher the house elf but it wasn't overly neat. There were a couple of boxes of Weasley games on the coffee table and an open book on the armchair. The sofa was slightly dishevelled with cushions and blankets thrown about, to be honest it looked like someone had slept on it that was odd. Harry said he never had anyone round and surely the house had plenty of spare bedrooms over it’s four floors. He then spotted Harry’s wand and a half drunk bottle of whiskey on the smaller side table next to the sofa. Once he would have found it odd that Harry wasn’t permanently attached to his wand but seeing how much casual wandless magic the man could do he wondered if he actually needed his wand anymore.

Draco noticed a couple of more personal touches in here. There still wasn’t much on the walls apart from some thin big black box opposite the sofa. He had no idea what that was but on the shelving unit he noticed some framed photos. The frames looked quite new but the photos were a mixture of old and new. Mostly of Harry with various members of the Weasley family of course including one with Harry cuddling a gorgeous little redhead girl that looked the newest as Harry’s hair was the same as it was now. Draco couldn’t help notice how happy Harry looked and how holding a baby strangely suited him. 

Then he noticed another one of Harry with a toddler that looked strangely like him. The photo moved so that the boy waddled over to Harry and then Harry scooped him up into his arms laughing. Harry looked so proud and full of love for the boy and the child snuggled into Harry as he was brought up to the man’s chest. Clearly they were close and the boy had the exact same shade of jet black hair. Even his eyes were the same bottle green… Surely not?! Draco had never seen anyone with eyes quite like Harry before yet here he was looking at two sets of them in a photo. The sight of Harry with his mini version made Draco’s heart pound and clench weirdly in a way he couldn’t describe.

Just then Harry came into the room. He saw Draco with the photo in his hand but he didn’t seem to mind.

Draco turned to him and raised his eyebrow in a playful way. “Got something to tell me Harry? Have you got a secret love child out there somewhere?!”

Harry laughed. “No that’s just Teddy. He’s my Godson.”

“Oh, Godson?” Draco questioned putting the photo frame back on the shelf and turning to face Harry. “But he can’t be a Weasley surely, he looks so much like you.”

“Yeah he does there, that’s his favourite look but it changes depending on how he feels and who he’s with. He’s a metamorphmagus.” Harry explained. 

“Wow. That explains it though I suppose.” Draco said, thinking out loud. “Apparently the gene runs in my family on the Black side but it’s still rare.”

“Erm, well yes it does, er, Teddy is your family really.” Harry said nervously. “He’s Tonks and Remus’s son. You know, erm, your cousin.”

Draco blinked in surprise. He’d forgotten all about his estranged cousin. All he knew was that his mother had an older sister who married a muggle and was cut off from the family and that they’d had a daughter but that she had died in the battle of Hogwarts. He’d never met them. 

“Oh right, that would be my Aunt Andromeda’s daughter? And she married Professor Lupin right? I knew they got married and... I- I know their names were on the memorial after… but I never knew they had a son.” He said frowning.

Suddenly the Dark Lord’s high pitched voice was ringing in his ears from that horrible meeting all those years ago. “What say you, Draco? Will you babysit the cubs?" He could picture the look on his snake-like face so clearly and was suddenly transported back to that moment which brought all sorts of other memories to the surface. He sank automatically into the nearest armchair and suddenly felt sick. He realised he was shaking all over and his breathing was uneven. 

Harry’s strong calm voice sounded out across the room which was now spinning slightly. “Kreacher” then a faint popping sound and a mumbling. “Will you please fetch a calming draught for Draco?”

A moment later Harry was pressing an uncorked vial into the palm of Draco’s hand. And rubbing his back in a soothing circular motion with his other hand. The touch was nice and it was nearly enough to calm Draco down on his own. It was much firmer and more masculine than when Daphne had done it. Draco wasn’t normally one for physical affection but he suddenly craved more of Harry’s touch.

Then Harry’s hand left his back to join his other hand and they both closed around tightly on Draco’s. Harry used his hands to raise Draco’s hand to his mouth as Draco still hadn't moved to drink the potion.

“Come on Draco, drink this it will help and you should trust it as it’s one of yours!” Harry said with a faint tone of amusement in his voice mixed with worry. 

Draco did indeed recognise the vial as one of his own when he finally managed to concentrate on it long enough and he distinct smell of chamomile was hitting his nostrils already making him feel calmer. He found the strength in his hand to raise it to his mouth and pour in a couple of drops. That would be enough. Harry’s other hand had returned to his back as he perched on the side of the armchair. 

They were close, very close. It should have been too intimate but somehow it wasn’t enough. Draco almost wanted to pull the man down into this lap and curl into his strong arms. Of course he didn’t act on the urge, that would be ridiculous. Instead as he felt himself settle and his breathing return to normal, he sat up straighter and held out the vial for Harry to take back. 

“Thank you.” He said faintly. Then he took a deep breath and felt his strength come back so he spoke again in a normal tone. “I’m sorry, I just had a bad memory.”

Harry slowly got up off the chair. Draco wanted to tell him to stay close but he fought back the urge.

“Don’t apologise, I’ve definitely been there. It still happens to the best of us.” Harry sighed.

He was still looking slightly concerned for Draco but it was a look of empathy rather than pity. Draco could cope with that. In fact he felt his heart swell a tiny bit when he saw how Harry was looking at him.

Harry then put the vial on the coffee table, he mumbled something about how they might need more of it later and went to sit on the sofa. He suddenly seemed aware of the state of the sofa and flushed with embarrassment slightly. He mumbled an apology for the room being a mess and quickly folded the blanket and rearranged the cushions with a lazy wave of his hand.

When Harry sat down on the sofa they made eye contact across the room, Draco suddenly felt like Harry was too far away, he wanted him closer but he could hardly move to sit on the sofa with him now, that would look weird. 

Harry looked at him softly. “Do you want to tell me about it?”

Draco opened his mouth to say no but the words that came out were very different. 

“I was just taken back to a- a meeting at the M-manor… with Him, erm, you know V- V…” He couldn’t do it. It was pathetic but he still couldn’t say his name. He hated saying The Dark Lord though as only his followers had called him that and he didn’t want to think of himself as one of them.

“Call him Tom or Riddle.” Harry suggested casually sensing Draco’s predicament.

Another memory came back to Draco then of the moment where Harry had been taunting the dark wizard moments before he was vanquished. Draco had been watching from the corner blending into the small crowd with his hood pulled up over his platinum blonde hair, trying to see but not be seen. Harry had called him Tom then too, Draco had thought it odd but there was a lot going on in that moment that he’d never really thought about it.

“Was that- was that his r-real name or s-something?” Draco asked cautiously, aware that his speech wasn’t as coherent as it usually was at the moment but it couldn’t be helped.

Harry nodded. “Tom Riddle, underneath all that he was just a person like anyone else. He hated being reminded of that especially as he was named Tom after his muggle father. Tom is a lot less scary isn’t it?!” 

“Right, OK, thanks.” Draco said silently, agreeing that it was a lot less scary however weird it was to think of him as just a man. He had heard rumours of the muggle father, it was so hypocritical that it made his blood boil. 

“So the meeting?” Harry prompted carefully.

“R-Riddle was going on about my cousin and Professor Lupin, calling her a blood traitor and him a werewolf... That kind of stuff, it wasn’t nice obviously and he brought me and my mother into it too. Everyone was taunting us, it just brought it back…” Draco went quiet again. “I can’t believe they had a son, and he’s my first cousin once removed or something… I, erm, I didn’t really think I had any other family left. It’s weird.”

He frowned thinking he still had a lot of questions. He was beginning to think there was a lot he didn’t know. “So how come you’re his Godfather, were you that close to my cousin? And he’s an orphan now right… so who looks after him most of the time, do you? Or is my- my Aunt is she…?”

His questions all came out like a babbling mess which he was a bit embarrassed about but Harry didn’t seem to mind in the least. He just seemed calm and ready to answer any questions that Draco might have.

“Yeah your Aunt Dromeda is fine. She lost her husband in the war too, before her daughter, so that was tough on her and she never fully recovered to be honest. Her heart is weak and she gets tired easily but having Teddy to raise gave her life meaning I guess and she’s amazing with him. He lives with her but I see him twice a week now. I’m picking him up from school today actually, I always see them on a Wednesday since I quit my job. I wasn’t around for him as much before, not like I should have been…” Harry trailed off looking a bit guilty and took a deep breath before carrying on clearing himself of any emotion.

“Remus asked me to be Godfather, he managed to come to Bill and Fleur’s when we were hiding out there briefly during the war. It was the last time I properly spoke to him actually… He was best friends with my dad at school alongside Sirius so that’s why we were close I guess but I didn’t get to spend as much time with either of them as I would have liked. I wasn’t really that close to Tonks to be honest. I mean she was awesome and she fought alongside us a couple of times and then she would makes us laugh here at mealtimes sometimes-”

“Here?” Draco questioned.

“Yeah this house was the headquarters for the Order during the war so we had meetings here and then all ate together afterwards. Obviously I wasn’t at all the meetings but yeah we were here a few times and we spent Christmas here that year too.” 

Harry spoke calmly but detached from it all as if he was telling someone else’s life. It was strange to see in a man that was usually a sea of emotions. Draco didn’t like it.

“You should have seen the house back then it was horrible, really dark and dirty. It had been abandoned for years and Kreacher, well he wasn’t like how he is now. When I first moved in here after the war I hated it. It was depressing and I was basically never here but it was the only house I had really. I often stayed at the Burrow though and then I was at the Ministry so much that to be honest sometimes I just slept there.”

That was awful, Draco thought to himself. It seemed like Harry really had dedicated seven years of his life to the Ministry, always working, Draco couldn’t believe that he’d actually slept at the office! This house seemed nice, surely coming home here would have been better? Why did he never have people over here? Why did his life seem so empty when it should be so full? He had so many people that cared about him… more than Draco had.

“Then I finally decided to get this place redecorated but it took some doing. I stayed with Hermione at her flat while the work was being done mostly but I still wasn’t there every night, I was out a lot. That was before her and Ron were married obviously. Dean and Seamus did the work and I was really pleased with it but weirdly it still felt like someone else’s house. I dunno, guess I’ve never really had my own space and a proper home before so it was strange. It still felt cold and empty even though it looked nice. I’ve been spending more time here recently though since I left the aurors and it’s started to feel a little bit more like home I guess.”

Harry still didn’t seem sure of that statement though and Draco found it strange. He had this house since the war but it still didn’t feel like home? And what did he mean about never really having his own space or a proper home, did he not still have his childhood home with the muggles, surely they were still his family? 

There was something odd there, Draco had thought about it when he’d read the first chapter of the book expecting it to mention a loving family home and being raised as the-boy-who-lived. Instead the chapter had started very differently. 

Perhaps it was time to ask him about it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So yeah... for anyone who hasn't guessed I'm a massive foodie and definitely a big coffee snob!  
> I know a lot of my conversations with characters in the this story revolved around food and drink because for me that's realistic, it's how I talk to my friends!!   
> I hope you like the little food and drink touches, I think it makes them more human and adds to their world. I like the fluff!


	15. Harry: Wednesday 5th October

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Part 2 of Harry and Draco's chat at Grimmauld Place- The BIG conversation!!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for not getting this chapter out yesterday as I promised. I was about to post it when I had a slight crisis of confidence, I just wasn't quite happy with it so I tweaked it a bit...  
> To be honest I'm still not 100% happy with it, it was hard to write... I'm much better at writing all the fun fluffy stuff!  
> I think I'm overthinking it so I just wanted to get it up this morning before I change my mind and start editing it again!  
> It is the LONGEST chapter by far and they're aren't really that many natural breaks so be prepared for that, also it is intense!! Hopefully not too intense, i did what I do best and broke it up a bit with some food!! :D  
> *~*  
> I was debating whether this was too much, I thought about spiting into two conversations but I do want to get the main plot moving a bit now...  
> Also I do think it's realistic that these two would just sit and have a three hour long conversation and get it all out there in one go... Well their childhood anyway! They still have so much more to talk about but this is definitely helpful in them understanding each other!  
> I know it might seem like they are being so open with each other in such a short space of time but that it deliberate and hopefully I've justified it so it's not seen as OOC for them. There is also quite another up in their relationship too I guess.  
> I know I've tagged it as a slow burn and it is because of the amount of words it contains and the chapters you read before they get together officially but in terms of the actual time passed in the calendar it's not super slow. The plan for the whole story is that it only takes place over about four months (probably) so just so you're aware of that.  
> I wanted it to be very different from the other story I'm writing (also a Drarry fic on here called The Process of Healing).  
> Here, Harry and Draco are both secure in their sexuality and they both know what they want deep down even though they can be a little confused sometimes. Their relationship has always been passionate and intense so I wanted to keep those emotions at the height of it all and it makes sense for me that they would almost have a sort of whirlwind romance... anyway I'll shut up now before I say too much! (Probably too late!)  
> *~*  
> *Warning- this is the heaviest chapter so far, please double check tags if you're worried  
> Harry and Draco start getting into their childhoods here so mentions of past child abuse including neglect and emotional abuse but not physical or sexual. Draco talks about his parents' marriage too so that might be a trigger point for those who have experience with abusive relationships.  
> Also more hints of Harry’s slight alcohol dependency here. It’s not a massive plot point, he’s not an addict it’s just an example of an unhealthy coping mechanism that you’ve no doubt already picked up on. Just thought I’d mention it again here as Harry thinks about ‘needing’ alcohol in this chapter and how it makes him feel so it might be a trigger for some people.

Harry couldn’t believe that after years of barely having anyone over, here he was in his front room talking to Draco as if they were old friends, or maybe it was more like a therapy session to be honest. He wasn’t sure, and he’d been rambling on for ages. Merlin, that was embarrassing, what had possessed him to say all that stuff? Draco had asked him a simple question “Here?” and Harry had opened his house and blurted all the stuff out about the house after the war and where he’d been staying. Did Draco really want to know all that crap?!

The blonde hadn’t said anything in a while. He hadn’t interrupted Harry at all so in order for there not to be silence Harry just kept chatting away. He was careful to keep the emotion out of his voice, not something he was well practised in to be honest but it was the voice he’d often slipped in during his time at the Ministry. Harry was slightly worried though that even in his flat tone he’d revealed too much, saying stuff about not having a proper home, what did Draco think of all that? 

Draco had just listened the entire time unlike Hermione who interrupted him all the time or Ron who listened but made it very clear with his face and body language what he was thinking the whole time. Harry couldn’t tell what Draco was thinking. His attitude of patience and acceptance reminded him of the times he’s opened up to Fred and George except George always made him feel better with humour and Fred would use physical touch to comfort Harry. 

Draco had a great dry sense of humour and wit that Harry had been on the receiving end of a few times but this wasn’t the moment for that probably and Draco could hardly use physical touch to comfort Harry with. That would not be appropriate no matter how much Harry wanted it… but he did want it. Harry was quite a physical man and would often offer or receive comfort this way. 

When Draco had basically had a panic attack just a short while ago after talking about Teddy, Harry hadn’t thought twice about offering physical comfort to him. He’d just been straight over there rubbing Draco’s back and touching his hand. It hadn’t felt strange at all, it had just felt right. Then as Draco recovered it became glaringly obvious how close they were and Harry no longer had an excuse to stay. He hadn’t wanted to peel himself away, he’d wanted to slide down further and curl into Draco’s lap and chest, it was so stupid to feel this way. Harry had forced himself to go over to the sofa but suddenly be felt so far away from Draco.

It had been quiet for a little while now but it wasn’t awkward or uncomfortable, not really. Draco looked like he wanted to say something but wasn’t sure if he should or how to say that. Harry wanted to reassure him that he could say anything he wanted. He knew that Draco had barriers, hell, Harry put his own walls up sometimes, but there was something about this man, this space, this dynamic between them that made Harry want to rip down both of their walls and be completely open and honest with each other. Could they do that? Maybe they would get there in time. Small steps Harry.

“I’m sorry Draco for rambling on.” Harry said before hesitating slightly and then decided to just go for it with the whole honesty thing. “Thank you for listening though. You make me feel like I can say anything to you.”

Draco looked surprised by this statement and Harry was pleased once again to have drawn out a little emotion from the man sitting opposite him. Draco opened his mouth to say something then seemed to think better of it. He swallowed thickly before eventually speaking.

“You can Harry…” He said softly and quietly. “I want you to feel like that. I don’t expect you to trust me really, I know I don’t deserve it but I’m trusting you with a lot, with my identity, my location... I do trust you actually as surprising as that is so I want you to know that you can tell me anything.” 

“I already do trust you Draco. You wouldn’t be sitting here in my house if I didn’t.” Harry pointed out casually. “I wouldn’t have trusted the Malfoy I knew at school but you’re not him, you’re Draco and my instincts say you can be trusted. Admittedly my instincts have been a bit off for the past couple of years but that was at work... I always go with my gut feelings and most of the time they don’t let me down!” He said half jokingly but with a serious undertone.

“I won’t let you down.” Draco said so quietly that Harry almost missed it.

Harry could tell that Draco wasn’t the sort of man to make promises easily. He was a Slytherin yes, well practised at telling half-truths and finding loopholes but he was still a man of his word when it counted and wouldn’t go back on a simple promise.

“Well I can tell you want to ask me something. You came here to discuss the book right? So... hit me with it I guess.” Harry said casually trying to pretend the conversation wasn’t as deep as he thought it was about to be.

Draco took a deep breath and looked up into Harry’s face. His eyes were a soft grey, calm but showing the tiniest hint of vulnerability.

“I expected the book to start with your childhood, before Hogwarts, you said you weren’t going to write about that which is fine, obviously you don’t have to if you don’t want to but…” Draco’s eyes flickered with uncertainty again and he looked away. “Would you tell me?” He asked softly.

Harry’s posture automatically became stiff. He never spoke about this, never thought about it. He had after the war, it had all started to come to the forefront of his mind but everytime it did he just shoved the thoughts back into a box where they belonged. The Weasleys knew bits of course but they’d never really spoken about it and they didn’t really know how bad it had really been. Should he say it all now? Or just bits of it? Or none of it? He was conflicted.

On the one hand he didn’t really see why it mattered to Draco, he thought they would be discussing the events of school, their relationship and how that all fitted into the war. What came before had no relevance…

Except that it did. For better or worse his childhood had an impact on him and he couldn’t explain things properly to Draco without bringing certain things up. He’d expected them to talk about their first meeting in the robe shop and he expected they’d get to that but Draco wouldn’t understand unless he had the whole picture.

Draco seemed worried about Harry’s lack of response to his question and suddenly spoke again in a soft understanding voice that Harry had never heard him use before. It was slow and melodic, calming, almost hypnotic. It made Harry just want to listen to Draco for ages.

“You don’t have to of course, I’m sorry... I wasn’t trying to be nosey or anything it’s just that you said you never really had a proper home and I thought you still had a muggle family to go back to, didn’t they raise you? ...and you’ve started the book by saying you first heard of- of- Riddle on your 11th birthday and then you said Hagrid was the first wizard you ever met, which seems crazy to me… and the book then goes to the first wizard child you met which was, well, me, I never knew… I just want to understand Harry that’s all.”

Hadn’t Draco just said Harry could tell him anything? Hadn’t Harry just promised himself to be open and honest with Draco?

Draco looked nervous as if he thought he had overstepped and Harry suddenly wanted to pressure him. “It’s OK Draco, really, you can ask me anything and I’ll tell you everything, in my own time…”

“Maybe it is best to start at the beginning. I want you to be able to understand everything too, and I want to understand you.” Harry sighed. “I’m afraid I’m going to need a bit of help from my old friend though to get me through it.”

He grabbed the whisky bottle that he knew was still on the table next to the sofa from last night. It wasn’t even midday yet but hopefully Draco wouldn’t judge him too harshly for that. Normally he’d just swig from the bottle but this time he summoned two glasses from the kitchen through the open doors.

Harry poured himself a small glass and offered the bottle to Draco who shook his head and looked slightly disgusted by it. Instead Draco took the empty glass, got out the wand from the holster on his left arm and filled it with water instead. 

Harry had seen that holster the first time he met Draco when he was dressed as Pierre. He knew what it was hiding but he had to admit it was a clever place to keep his wand. No one would question the leather holster even if it was thicker than the ones Harry had seen others wear, it just looked like a stylistic choice. He felt sad that Draco felt he had to cover the mark though and wondered if he kept it hidden for his own benefit or for the benefit of others. Then he thought about his own scar (the first and most obvious one anyway) that he constantly pulled his hair over to cover. They were both marked for different reasons by the same wizard and they were both hiding the scars that identified them.

They both took a big sip of their drinks and then Harry carried on.

“This is the part that I don’t want the general public to know… the idiots who wrote that unofficial biography of me years ago, well they tried to track down my muggle relatives and question them for the book. Arthur told me about it as he caught them snooping about the Ministry records. Fortunately they couldn’t find anything and then Arthur put some sort of adapted fidelius charm on the house where- where I grew up, with him being the secret keeper... So there is no record anywhere of where I was raised and the only way you can find the house now is if Arthur or someone who knows like me or the Weasleys tells you where it is. Kingsley, Hagrid and McGonagall know where it is too but they would never say anything and everyone else who knew is dead... Obviously the house is still seen by all the muggles and my Aunt and Uncle don’t know anything about it.”

Harry took another big swig of whiskey and felt the warmth rush through him giving him much needed comfort and courage. This is where things would get hard. Should he just carry on talking or should he just wait for Draco to ask questions and then answer them as they came up? Draco answered that for him though as he spoke again.

“OK…” He said slowly in the same melodic tone as before. “So obviously your childhood wasn’t that great then if you need to cover it up… I’m sorry, I didn’t know... What did they do to you? Did they not tell you about… Riddle?”

Harry let out a low chuckle and Draco looked confused but waited patiently. It wasn’t really funny, he supposed, just strange that the worst thing the Durselys had done was not tell him about Voldemort.

“They didn’t tell me that I was a wizard!”

“What?!” Draco’s eyes went comically wide in surprise and his mouth was hanging open for a second in a very uncharacteristic way which made Harry laugh again. “I-I don’t understand, how could you not know, well, anything… I grew up knowing all about ‘the-boy-who-lived’ and you, you didn’t know? Why…?”

“I hate that name.” Harry said dryly. “Like it was my doing! Like I was some miracle baby who knew how to defend myself! Like I was a hero from birth!”

“Well you were a miracle baby Harry.” Draco started. “No one had-”

“-ever survived the killing curse, yeah I know!” Harry said, rolling his eyes and sighing. “I guess I can understand why I was the object of fascination but nobody sees it from my point of view.”

“So tell me.” Draco said simply as he sat back waiting to be told. 

He had that same open, patient expression and body language as before. One that said he was just here to listen not to judge. One that said he just wanted to understand, to help, not to pity or mock.

Harry finished the rest of the amber liquid in the glass. He needed that. In fact he felt like he needed another one honestly but he’d seen the look on Draco’s face when he poured it and he remembered that he still had to pick up Teddy from school later. 

He sighed then he sat the glass on the table and launched into it all, saying everything that had been building up for years and years. Things he’d never said out loud, things only a selected few people knew but hadn’t been told it in this way before.

“I didn’t survive at the age of one because of anything I did, how could I? I was literally a defenceless vulnerable baby. I wasn’t any different from any other baby, the only reason I survived was because of my mother’s sacrifice enacting some old magic... It was all just so confusing to me to have everything suddenly changed one day… You have no idea! To go from being a nobody, being told every day that you’re worthless and then suddenly be famous to someone who everyone idolised when it wasn’t for something that I did or understood... I guess that’s why I have such a problem with it and all these years later and why my brain is so fucked up.”

Draco looked at him throughout with beautiful soft empathetic eyes. Harry had no idea that Draco was even capable of empathy but yet here it was. Harry didn’t look into Draco’s eyes though, he was afraid he’d get lost in them. He mainly just stared at the coffee table in between them, trying not to let the emotion release too much as he knew if it did he wouldn’t be able to talk and he wanted to talk. Draco asked a question and Harry wanted to answer it.

“Until the age of 11 I wasn’t treated like anything special, far from it. I knew I was different but I didn’t know why and my Aunt and Uncle told me every day for the duration of my childhood that I was a freak so I guess I just believed them. They hated anything that wasn’t seen as ‘normal’ and I wasn’t normal so they hated me. It never really made sense to me why they didn’t like me… I thought there must be something wrong with me... Obviously now I know it was all because of the magic, they hated magic. My uncle was scared by it and my Aunt was jealous of it. They knew I would be a wizard but they thought they could try and force the magic out of me by raising me without telling me I guess…”

Draco was absolutely stunned, speechless. He’d been worried that the muggles hadn’t been nice people but he hadn’t expected… this! 

“Harry… I- I…” Draco started to say but he couldn’t seem to find any words. Harry didn’t blame him, what was there to say?

Harry was just staring at the table still as if Draco wasn’t even there. He didn’t want Draco to interrupt him. He didn’t know why he was finally saying all these things but he’d started now and he didn’t want to stop, he needed this. He needed to finally tell someone and get it all of his chest.

“But yeah, as a child I didn’t know anything about that at all… I didn’t know anything full stop really... I didn’t even know magic existed, they told me that my parents died in a car crash and that was all I knew, I wasn’t allowed to ask questions. I tried to be good, I tried to just keep my head down, stay out of the way and get through each day but sometimes it was hard. I’ve always been naturally curious, I think you know that! Plus I would get these dreams, these visions that didn’t make sense to me. I’d also feel really angry sometimes. Sometimes I did things or made things happen but I had no idea how and then I would get punished for them but I didn’t know why. It was very confusing.”

When Harry finally looked up at Draco again just needing some sort of reassurance he noticed that Draco’s expression had changed slightly. He looked like he was still trying to maintain that understanding and listening face but Harry could tell there was a range of emotions there and he was itching to ask a million questions. He could see confusion, anger, disbelief... compassion even. 

Draco seemed to view Harry’s pause and eye contact as permission to speak. “Harry… that’s… Merlin, that’s a lot, I can’t believe they didn’t explain things to you…” He swallowed thickly and then spoke again in a quiet voice not looking at Harry this time. “How did they punish you?”

Harry gathered himself before he spoke again. “Well most of the time I’d just get looked in my cupboard-”

Draco snapped back up and turned fiercely towards him. “I’m sorry, did you just say your cupboard?!”

“Yeah…” Harry sighed knowing he’d have to explain it. This was the hardest bit. He couldn’t bear to Look at Draco so he focused on a particular spot on the coffee table again and spoke as if he was just recalling facts that meant nothing to him emotionally.

“My bedroom until Hogwarts was a cupboard under the stairs. It had a lock on the outside so often I was locked in there, sometimes only let out for bathroom breaks or to get food. I wasn’t always though, most of the time I had free reign of the house as long as I didn’t go into my cousin’s room or my Aunt and Uncle’s room... I wasn’t allowed to sit and watch TV either though so it didn’t leave a lot of places and if I was just around them Uncle Vernon would always complain about me being under his feet or in his eyeline so even when I wasn’t actually locked in, it was just easier to stay in the cupboard when I wasn’t needed... It wasn’t too bad, I managed to sneak in a couple of Dudley’s broken toys to play with and I would make up adventure stories in my head with these little toy soldiers I had... Some of them were quite good but I never had anything to write them down on… I haven’t thought about those in years actually… The rest of the time I was kept busy with gardening and household chores, things that Aunt Petunia needed doing and often I cooked for them, although I wasn’t always allowed to eat what I cooked. Sometimes I’d just get bread and water. If I was lucky I could eat the scraps off my cousins plate...”

Harry trailed off and then suddenly became aware of Draco’s change in posture. He was sitting stiffly, tense in anger and his eyes were no longer soft but a sea of swirling grey like a stormcloud waiting to erupt. 

“They- They- they treated you like a house elf!” He snapped fiercely. 

Then Draco buried his head in his hands and ran his fingers through it clutching it at hard and messing it all up. It wasn’t something Harry ever thought he’d do to his usually perfectly placed platinum blonde locks. Draco was visibly shaking now and Harry wasn’t quite sure what to do, was he supposed to comfort him? Why was Draco reacting so extremely about this? Was it because he cared about Harry and was cross on his behalf or had it triggered something for him too? Or was it both?

When Draco spoke again his voice was all hoarse and crackly thick with emotion that he seemed to no longer be able to describe. As he started speaking he didn’t seem to be able to stop, it all just came pouring out. 

“I was so horrible to you, I- I said some really mean things about your life, your childhood, your muggle home and- and your parents... I am so sorry… I thought you were this glorified, pompous, arrogant, hero child who loved being famous and the treatment that came with it... I thought you had a really easy life just cruising through with people treating you like royalty and giving you what you wanted… I was- I was jealous. Life had never been easy for me, I had to work so hard for everything, and I still never got the praise I wanted… I was never good enough… Yet here you were with everyone treating you like you were amazing and I didn’t see it at first… I didn’t think you were anything special… Everyone was lavishing praise on you… everyone loved you... no one loved me unconditionally like that, no one… but now I find out that your childhood had been like that… and it kind of makes sense now… the scrawny kid with the baggy clothes who didn’t seem to understand about the world of magic and was useless in class… and why you were so curious to know everything, I guess because you’d gone years without knowing… I just thought you were nosy and wanted to make everything about you... I can’t even… I am so- so sorry Harry.”

By the end Draco had almost completely broken down and looked close to tears. Suddenly Harry was reminded of the Draco he saw in the bathroom all those years ago. He had been a broken boy then… this was a broken man. So much had changed yet underneath maybe nothing had.

For the second time that morning Harry was over in a flash sitting on the edge of the armchair, not thinking about what he was doing just acting on instinct as he so often did.

Draco was practically tearing his hair out and Harry couldn’t stand to see it. He guided Draco’s hands away as softly as he could manage but still showing strength. Then he cupped the back of Draco’s head with his hands and gently pulled it into his chest. Draco’s hands found their way around Harry and hugged him as the blonde head nestled into Harry. Harry lowered one hand to Draco’s back and dangled it softly there whilst the other gently stroked his soft hair smoothing it down and repairing the damage that Draco had done. 

Harry had been longing to touch Draco’s hair and now here he was with his hand in it and it felt every bit as soft and luxurious as it looked. This moment was so intimate, even more so than before as Draco had leaned into his touch and was touching him back. Harry half wondered if this was wise, if he should be doing this but he just couldn’t bring himself to care in this moment. He’d probably worry and over analyse it later but right now this just felt right. He was useless with words but Draco needed comfort so he was giving it to him in a way that he knew how. It was the way that he liked to receive it and right now he felt like he could do with a hug too even if he was pretending it was for Draco’s benefit.

He wasn’t sure how long they sat there for. Draco’s breathing was back to normal and the shaking had stopped. His body wasn’t tense anymore, it had relaxed into the hug. Harry’s physical comfort seemed to have done the trick to ease him yet neither man moved. Harry had half expected Draco to shove him away once he had calmed down but he hadn’t yet and Harry was telling himself that he should move away but he couldn’t bring himself to. So he stayed.

The silence wasn’t uncomfortable. If fact it was nice but Harry had found the words he wanted to say now so he spoke over the top of Draco’s head in a calm soft voice and without moving from the embrace.

“Well I don’t think either one of us have had an easy life! You know, it’s funny really, how much we judged each other when clearly we knew so little about each other's lives outside of school…” 

Draco moved his head back so that it was no longer leaning on Harry’s chest but he didn't remove the arms he had wrapped around him so Harry didn’t remove from the arm of the chair that he was perched on. He shifted his arms slightly so that one was draped around Draco’s shoulder and the other was just hanging loosely by his side. They were still close and it still was probably more than friends would be but it was slightly more casual and less intimate. Harry was glad that he didn’t have to move away completely. Somehow he wanted to be physically close to Draco while he spoke so he could tell Draco through his actions that he cared as well as his words as he wasn’t sure if they would come out right.

“You say you were jealous of me with everyone treating me like royalty but that’s how I thought of you, I was jealous of you… The Slytherin prince who lived in a mansion. You were always boasting about everything you had… I thought you were spoilt, I thought you could get everything you wanted. I always had broken toys and hand-me-down clothes, I never had anything of my own… You were always going on about your mum and dad too, I thought they must love you so much to give you everything, I was jealous of the Weasleys too for their big loving family but I knew from Ron that having lots of siblings meant he didn’t always get the attention he wanted. You had two parents all to yourself who could give you all the attention and the affection you wanted and I was jealous of that… But as we got older and I learnt more about your life and your family I realised that it might not be what I thought… and now with what little I do know of you… well I’m guessing things with your parents aren’t great huh?”

Draco then slowly moved his arms from around Harry so that he was no longer touching him but he didn’t shrug off Harry’s arm that was still around his shoulder and didn’t seem physically uncomfortable so Harry didn’t move. 

“No, things aren’t great… They never have been, I just pretended they were.” Draco said quietly.

Draco didn’t elaborate and he looked away, all of a sudden he seemed distant to Harry. Harry suddenly felt the urge to draw him close again but he was worried that action would push Draco away more. Draco had been the one to slightly distance himself from Harry but he still hadn’t withdrawn himself completely from the weird cuddle they seemed to be having. Being perched on the edge of the chair was getting uncomfortable for Harry but he didn’t want to move away suddenly as he thought Draco might think he didn’t want to be near him.

Should he move? Should he stay? What should he do?

Blunt as always Harry decided to just ask him. “Do you want me to move? I can go back over there.” He said gesturing to the sofa.

Draco’s face turned back to Harry as quick as a flash and without speaking he placed a single hand on Harry’s knee. He didn’t want to say with words that he wanted to be close to Harry but he seemed to need it still.

Deciding he was in the deep end now anyway so he may as well continue the honesty, Harry said, “My arse is hurting a bit here, come and sit on the sofa with me?” Then he stood up separating himself from Draco but holding out his hand for Draco to take if he wanted to.

Draco took his hand so without putting any more thought into it Harry led them both over to the sofa. He sat down at one end not letting go of Draco’s hand. Draco hesitated slightly as if unsure where or how to sit down. In the end he sat down kind of in the middle, not too far but not too close to Harry and their hands settled in between on the fabric of the sofa still joined. Draco’s body language was a bit too tense still though and he was quiet.

“We’re both pretty fucked up with a shit ton of issues huh?” Harry said to break the tension.

Fortunately it worked as he saw the sides of Draco’s thin lips move upwards slightly and his posture relaxed into the sofa.

“Yeah, guess so.” Draco replied then he paused for a moment and continued. “I’m so sorry Harry, you were telling me about your awful past and yet you had to comfort me… I should have been comforting you. I just didn’t know how… I- I…” Draco swallowed again and still looked like he was fighting back tears.

Harry was shocked to get such a reaction out of him. Draco looked at Harry like his heart was breaking for him… It was… well it was a lot… Harry hadn’t quite processed what he’d said yet. He probably would later but it took a lot for him to cry. He was trying to just concentrate on Draco at the moment. Draco had said a few revelations of his own and Harry thought he probably needed to get a few things off his chest too.

“So I’ve told you about my crappy childhood, wanna tell me about yours? We can make it into a competition, we always were quite competitive!” Harry said smiling at the man and slightly moving his thumb against the smooth skin of Draco’s hand.

“I dunno Harry, I think you might have won this one…” Draco said slightly awkwardly. “I’ve always felt sorry for myself to be honest with the lack of affection I felt at home but telling it to you now after you just told me how you were literally starved and locked in a cupboard… Well, it makes me feel pretty guilty for thinking mine was bad, at least I was always physically cared for.”

Harry felt his heart ache at Draco telling him about his lack of affection. That was something that really hit home with him and he hated thinking others felt that way no matter who they were. Harry had realised a long time ago that it couldn’t have been easy having a father like Lucius but he didn’t know the extent of it and what Draco’s life before Hogwarts had been like. He found that he very much wanted to know now. 

“Draco,” he began in his softest most tender voice, the one he used to explain to Teddy why his parents weren’t around anymore, or comfort him when he fell down at the park and hurt his knee. “A lack of affection is still a big deal and it’s not one that any child, hell any adult, should have to endure. I’d like to hear about what your childhood was really like, if you’d like to tell me that is, but I’ll never push you.”

“I- I- came here today to tell you bits of it.” Draco admitted. “When I read your version of the interaction we had in Madam Malkins that day I was horrified-”

Harry went to interrupt but Draco squeezed his hand to tell him that it was OK and Harry reminded himself that Draco had been patient while he’d talked, now it was his turn to listen to Draco. He closed his mouth and continued to look at Draco trying to mimic the blonde’s open and understanding expression from earlier. 

“I’m not saying it wasn’t accurate, it was, and I know I was a right brat, but to read about myself like that in your words, to really see myself as you would have seen me... it stung I’m not going to lie.” Draco carried on in a slow, calm voice taking moments to breathe deeply when he needed to but otherwise controlling himself well. 

“I’m not trying to make excuses for my behaviour, I’m really not, but I was thinking about it a lot this morning when I couldn’t get back to sleep and that’s why I just had to see you today. I wanted to explain to you why I acted like that and why I said those things I guess. I also made a decision, a big one, one that I’m terrified about but I think it’s the right choice for me.”

Draco took another deep breath but then when he went to speak again no words came out. He closed his mouth and closed his eyes.

Harry, again reacting in instinct but thinking Draco needed encouragement gave his hand a gentle squeeze as Draco had done moments ago to him. The touch was enough for Draco to look back into Harry’s eyes.

“Whatever it is Draco you can tell me, and I’ll support you.” He said sincerely, giving Draco a small soft smile. 

Draco smiled back at him and nodded slowly as if assuring himself.

“Well I know you said you weren’t going to name the villains and that you’d only name me at the end when I became, in your words, a ‘hero’ but I don’t think I’m either.” He said half shrugging. The more he spoke, the more confidence he seemed to gain.

“I was who I was raised to be before I decided that I didn’t want to be that person and now… I’m not sure who I am to be honest... All I know is that I want to find out and I want to be true to myself. You’ve inspired me, you’re owning who you are and you’re using this book to tell the world exactly who that person is and that it’s not who they think you are because they don’t know the full story… well I want to do the same.” Draco said with a determined finish.

“You say that you’re not doing this for the publicity and I believe you, well then let me share the spotlight.” Draco was smiling a sort of nervous but proud smile at this point. “Name me throughout, the good, the bad and the downright ugly… On one condition.”

“Name it.” Harry said quickly, still holding Draco’s hand.

“I want to interject with why I said and did those things. Again it’s not about me making excuses for my behaviour, I want to own what I did and I want to apologise for it but I also want people to understand me and maybe it will help me understand myself. I also want to warn people about the dangers of raising a child with a set of rigid pure-blood rules. Don’t get me wrong, there are actually some old wizarding traditions that I really like and I think there are aspects of the pure-blood culture which should be past down and learnt about in all wizarding families. I am proud to come from a long line of magical ancestry but not because I think we’re better than non-magical people but just because I love magic and I love the history of it. Those were some of the lessons from my childhood that I did actually enjoy.”

Draco had a soft sort of smile as he reminisced but then his expression turned to a frown. 

“I’m not proud to be a Malfoy though… Not proud of what the name means, not proud of what the Malfoys have done... I think that was one of the reasons why I hated the Weasleys so much, I was jealous that they got to have it both ways. They are a pure-blood family with a long history and a vast culture but they got to live freely without the stupid constraints of the typical old fashioned pure-blood society and everyone loved them for it. Plus there is a big difference between pure-blood culture and pure-blood supremacy, one I am proud of the other I am ashamed of.”

Harry was thinking over the Slytherins’s carefully crafted words which he’d clearly thought a lot about and he found himself agreeing.

“Yeah, I get that actually. I mean, it was one of the reasons why I was jealous of you and of Ron too I guess. Obviously my dad was a pure-blood and now I carry the name of an old wizarding family and I’m the heir to another one yet I still feel like there’s so much I don’t know. I’ve learnt bits over the years, like I know that I’m descended from one of the Peverell brothers and actually Voldemort was descended from another… but I still don’t really know much about the Potters and the Blacks. I’d like to learn more… I always wondered what my life would be like if my parents hadn’t died, for several reasons of course, but one of them was I wondered about what parts of pure-blood culture my dad and I guess maybe my Godfather too, would have taught me if things had turned out differently.”

“Yes, it is rather fascinating actually…” Draco said slowly. “I studied the old wizarding families a lot of course, I was required to be knowledgeable in these areas and I did know about the Potter ancestry being linked with the Peverells I think. Not something I ever thought about but now you mention it I find it rings a bell, pretty impressive. Strangely though I know nothing about- about- Riddle and his ancestors.”

“I can tell you all about him.” Harry said dryly. “Maybe another day though!” He added with a half smile.

“Yes we have a lot to talk about I think Harry.” Draco said calmly. “I want to tell you what it was like, growing up with Lucius…”

“Tell me Draco. I want to hear, I want to understand.” Harry said softly.

Draco gave Harry a last long look then nodded sharply once. His whole body language tensed again but he still didn’t pull his hand away from Harry’s. Then he took a deep breath and focused on the wall behind Harry as he launched into what sounded like a rehearsed speech.

“Lucius has always been controlling, well controlling doesn’t even cut it... he was obsessive, about me and everything I said, everything I did. I had to be absolutely perfect at every single thing, there was no room for failure of any kind. There was just so much pressure... I was never allowed to be a child. There had to be a reason for everything I did, if it wouldn’t help me become the man he wanted me to be then there was no point to it, I could never just have fun… He raised me to be the Malfoy heir and that was all he cared about. I was never his son, I was just the next in a long line of pure-blood Malfoy men that had to play my part.... And he was never my father, he was a tutor, a dictator, there to instruct and oversee. He never saw me or who I was, what I wanted never had any relevance. If I ever protested he’d just say that his father was the same to him, and his grandfather was to his father and so on. That was the way of things...”

Harry recognised in Draco what he himself was doing only a moment ago, he had to shut away the emotions in order to get through the words.

“What about your mother?” Harry asked gently, hoping it was OK to ask as Draco had paused and didn’t seem to know how to continue.

A sad smile passed through Draco’s face as he lowered his eyes from the wall opposite to the floor. When he’d spoken about Lucius he’d seemed cold and distant somehow, now when he spoke of his mother he looked like that sad lost little boy again.

“She tried sometimes… I have a handful of memories with her that were… nice, but the moments were still always ruined by Lucius. He didn’t like me spending too much time with Mother, said it would make me soft. He said only babies needed their mothers… In his eyes she’d done her duty by bringing me into the world and that meant her role in my life had been fulfilled. From then on he said it was the father’s job to raise the next heir… except his definition of raising a child was to basically give instructions to the house elves and my tutors and then he would just check on my progress.” Draco said bitterly.

“My mother would come to the school room or my bedroom sometimes, that was nice and I think she wanted to do more but he had power, influence and eyes everywhere. The house elves in the Manor were required to report everything they saw to him so there was no escaping… I vaguely remember my mother reading to me when I was really young but then my father said that it was the information in the books that I needed to learn, it didn’t matter who delivered it and that she had better things to do. So he had the house elves read to me after that until I could read on my own and the books were always educational, never fun… Every now and then there were little moments when I thought that my mother cared for me, I think she does really, but she was always Lucius’ wife first and my mother second. Which makes my relationship with her complicated. I think there would have been hope for us, but part of me resents her for not trying harder to be the mother I needed. I sometimes wish she would have stood up to Lucius more but then I guess I can’t talk really…” 

The anger that Harry thought Draco had been hiding earlier had gone now and instead he just seemed desperately sad.

“It was probably hard for her. They had an arranged marriage of course and she had to play the perfect pure-blood wife and said her priority was to be by his side and support him in all things... He controlled her too of course, he controlled everything... Even at Hogwarts he knew everything as he spoke to the teachers, he had power as a governor, at first at least… and even after Crabbe and Goyle told their fathers everything which then got back to Lucius… That’s why I had to keep up the game, I was in too deep with everything, with him, then with Riddle… between everything I was told, all the controlling, all the manipulation, I didn’t even know who I was most of the time… I was just an empty shell… a puppet…” Draco’s voice was close to breaking now as he looked down at their intertwined fingers.

Harry had forgotten they were even holding hands, it just seemed so natural but thinking about it he supposed it wasn’t. After all, he didn’t hold hands with any of his other male friends… He couldn’t think about that now though, it was too confusing. If Draco wanted to hold his hand then he could. Frankly if Draco wanted to do anything now Harry would probably let him after everything he’d just revealed to him.

He knew Lucius was controlling and manipulative, but to hear the extent of it in Draco’s words was painful. To hear that his childhood had been ripped away from him like that. Harry wanted so badly to comfort him, to tell him that everything would be ok now yet he didn’t know what to say.

“I’m sorry Draco, so sorry… I can’t imagine.. I’m...” He said quietly squeezing Draco’s hand lost for words.

“It’s OK Harry, I know, you don’t need to say anything.” Draco said quickly, looking slightly more himself again already. Maybe just saying the words and having Harry listen made him feel better, maybe that was enough. “It’s in the past.” Draco said stubbornly, although Harry thought he didn’t seem quite convinced by his own words.

What about now? What were Draco’s parents like now? Draco had spoken using the past tense, Harry thought that this had all been his childhood, all pre-war, surely the horrors of the war were enough to shake Lucius from his old ways, and Narcissa too. They hadn’t fought in the battle, Harry thought that had been an act of redemption. Surely the man didn’t still treat Draco in this way…? But then why had Draco left…? Why was he no longer a Malfoy…?

“Draco…” Harry said in barely a whisper without knowing how to continue.

“Honestly Harry it’s fine. I just wanted you to understand why I spoke the way I did in Madam Malkins that day that’s all.” Draco said calmly and confidently, looking Harry straight in the eye this time. 

“I was regurgitating my father's words to anyone I met as that’s what I was supposed to do. I wouldn’t have been allowed to be friends with anyone who didn’t agree with them anyway so it didn’t much matter to me what people thought of me… Of course I didn’t realise it was you then. I was cross with myself afterwards for being so stupid and I never ever confessed to my father that I saw you before the train. He would have been cross with me for not impressing you. I tried again on the train obviously but I didn’t know how to impress someone like you, I only knew how to impress the people I was used to being around... I’d never met anyone like you… When you rejected my friendship I was worried Crabbe and Goyle and the others would tell father I’d failed to impress Harry Potter so I had to make you the object of ridicule that someone like me would never be friends with anyway…”

Harry thought for a moment and spoke honestly as always. “Yeah I understand that, it makes a lot more sense now knowing what I know and for what it’s worth I’m sorry.”

Draco actually laughed at that. “You’re apologising to me because I was an absolute bastard to you when we first met? Only you would say sorry for that!”

Harry laughed a little too. “Well I guess I’m just sorry for the circumstances, if we’d both known more about each other’s home lives then we might have been a bit more empathetic towards each other or something… I dunno… and I know I was a right prat to you sometimes too, it wasn’t all you. But you insulted the first people in my life who had ever been nice to me. I was so desperate to hold onto Ron and Hagrid as I’d never had any friends before…”

Draco smiled softly at Harry. “Yes, now I can understand it from your point of view too with what you’ve told me.”

“So I guess we understand each other a lot more now then.” Harry said simply.

“I guess we do.” Draco agreed.

It was quiet for a moment until Harry’s stomach rumbled loudly. He realised that he hadn’t had anything to eat today as Draco had woken him before he’d had breakfast and now it was lunchtime. He didn’t often get that hungry but then he had been eating more since quitting his job and didn’t usually skip meals anymore.

“Er, sorry!” He said half mortified. “I er, haven’t actually eaten today. You hungry? Shall I fix us up some lunch?” 

Draco looked conflicted as Harry wondered when exactly he’d lowered his barriers so much that Harry could now read his every emotion and whether it had been a deliberate choice or not.

“I don’t want to be a burden, I came practically unannounced and now I’m taking up all your time.” Draco mumbled quietly.

“Nonsense!” Harry said cheerfully. “I like having you here, I actually hate being here by myself.”

Draco frowned at him. “Then why did you say you never have anyone over?”

Harry didn’t really know how to respond to that question as it was something he often wondered about but couldn’t quite put his finger on.

He sighed. “I dunno really… I guess at first this house had bad memories for all of us, not just me and like I said earlier, it wasn’t a nice house to be in so I didn’t think anyone would want to come. Then I just got used to one of the other Weasleys always hosting. It was just natural that we’d all end up back at The Burrow and it was how Molly liked it. I also liked going to the twins or Hermione’s flat, then their house when they got married… we also had things at Bill and Fleur’s sometimes, particularly in the summer, it’s beautiful there on the beach…”

“After the house got done up, Hermione, Dean and Seamus persuaded me to have a housewarming party so I did but I just didn’t like it... I have no idea why to be honest, probably some stupid subconscious reason but even though the house looked completely different it reminded me of when the Order was still here during the war, everyone traipsing about and it being a bit chaotic… only then Sirius was always here and it had been his house... guess it brought it back and just didn’t feel right, still feels weird sometimes, living in his old house… Anyway, I faked a headache and kicked everyone out… not my finest hour!” Harry gave an embarrassed half smile. 

“After then no one ever invited themselves over, I don’t blame them to be honest… and I guess I never invited anyone either. To be honest I really haven’t spent much time here until recently and you’re the first person that’s invited themselves over in years!... but I like it… you being here I mean.” He added quietly.

“Well then if you’re sure I would love some lunch. I too skipped breakfast.” Draco said smiling. “But feel free to kick me out at any time, you don’t even have to fake a headache for my benefit, just tell me to get lost.”

“OK then Draco, noted!” Harry said, smiling and feeling better than he had in awhile.

How is it that he could be revisiting past childhood trauma with the man one minute and then laughing and joking with him feeling completely at ease the next… all while holding his bloody hand! 

*~*

Harry reluctantly took his hand from Draco’s and got up to head to the kitchen. As he walked he could feel the man following him. He hadn’t lied to Draco, for all his reluctance to have anyone over, it felt nice now to have company and there was something special about the fact that it was Draco. 

He had wondered before when he was with Fred if he should have ever invited him over but somehow he never did. Perhaps because he knew that Fred didn’t like anything too ‘coupley’. Even though they had cuddled on the sofa and slept in the same bed almost every night for three years, doing so at the flat around George didn’t feel as... intimate maybe? Things were never awkward around George... after all that’s what silencing charms were for. Either way, Fred had never invited himself over to Grimmauld Place or even hinted at it once to Harry so it had just never happened.

Draco came into the kitchen and hoovered by the table down one end as if unsure whether to sit down or not. Harry had a grander separate dining room down the hall that he had one day thought would be nice for bigger dinner pirates but it had never been used. His kitchen was sizeable enough to have a perfectly fine small dining table in it. 

“Sit, it’s fine.” Harry smiled. “I’ll wait on you little prince!”

The words slipped out of his word before he had a chance to take them back. He quickly turned to face the kitchen cabinets absolutely mortified with himself. It had just come from the conversation they had earlier about Draco being the Slytherin Prince… it didn’t mean anything… except it sounded an awful lot like a pet name that you give to a boyfriend… bloody hell! He needed to watch what he said.

He noticed that Draco hadn’t replied but didn’t want to see the look on his face. Harry decided to just try and glide past it like it had never happened. 

“Anything in particular you fancy or anything you don’t like?” He called over his shoulder, getting plates out of the cupboard.

“Nothing special, just whatever you usually have for lunch is fine.” Draco called back.

His voice was normal and Harry couldn’t gauge a reaction. Maybe Draco was just going to pretend that there was nothing weird going on between them either.

“Well maybe something a bit more substantial seeing as how we both skipped breakfast.” Harry replied, still not turning round to look at him. “I was sleeping in but not sure what your excuse was, you need to make sure you eat properly Draco.”

Merlin, now he was beginning to sound like Molly. The last thing he wanted to do was mother Draco. Why was it that sitting on the sofa holding hands with him had seemed natural yet this perfectly normal act of getting lunch for a friend had Harry all flustered and over-thinking?

“I’ve got some leftover pesto pasta, I can serve some garlic bread and salad. Does that sound good?” Harry asked casually.

“Sounds great thank you.” Draco replied before hesitating slightly. “You doing it yourself? The muggle way?”

“Yeah... I asked Kreacher not to bother us, he takes some getting used to and still says inappropriate things sometimes… he doesn’t mean them, he’s actually nice now and I know he cares about me underneath all that moaning but he’s really old so he likes to rest.” Harry explained whilst getting various things out of the cupboard and the fridge

“Sometimes he insists on cooking for me so I let him to make him happy but I like to cook too, it relaxes me. We haven’t really found a routine yet since I’ve been back here. Sometimes we cook together, sometimes I ask him if I can cook, just all depends on the day really.” Harry shrugged, as he prepared lunch. “Although I have to say that I hate doing the washing up so I’m grateful to have him then. Plus I never clean!”

“OK.” Draco said simply. “Well, do you need any help?”

“No thanks, there’s nothing here to actually cook to be honest with you. Salad is done, just dressed it with some balsamic vinegar, hope that’s OK.” Harry said sending the salad bowl, tongs, plates and cutlery all in the direction of the table. “Garlic bread is under the grill and I can reheat the pasta in the microwave.”

“Harry, I have no idea what half of those words mean! Are those all muggle things?” Draco asked half confused, half curious.

“Right, yeah sorry. Never mind.” Harry said whilst getting two wine glasses down and an open bottle of white from the fridge.

He held it up for Draco to see and gave a sly little smile. Draco hesitated but then nodded so Harry poured him a glass and sent it floating carefully across the room to him. He poured himself a glass but watched Draco to see what his reaction would be.

Like last Sunday, he watched as Draco took an elegant sip and then saw his slightly wet lips curl upwards. Then the smile reached his eyes and he looked over at Harry with a look of complete contentment. Harry was happy that he’d done something that made Draco look that way and he suddenly realised in that moment that he would do anything to see that look on Draco’s face. Man, he was in trouble now.

“This is Sauternes.” Draco said happily as his tongue just barely poked out to lick his lips. Harry watched breathlessly. “And it’s a good one too, better than the one they had at the Quidditch. Where did you get it?”

“I found it here actually.” Harry said quickly after he realised that Draco had asked him a question whilst Harry had still been looking at Draco’s lips. 

He used the pretence of checking on the garlic bread to look away but carried on speaking as he did so. “There is a wine cellar in the basement, next to where the old kitchen was. There’s loads down there, really old bottles I’m guessing... I’ve never really looked at them before, erm, to be honest, I usually grab whatever is nearest but er, well I was intrigued after Sunday, so I, er, asked Kreacher to help me look for some of this and turns out we have about 6 boxes of the stuff. It’s slightly too sweet for me if I’m honest but I can see why you like it. You can take a box with you if you like… well, erm, only if you want, but er, well I’m sure you have better.”

“I don’t!” Draco said quickly. 

Harry smiled. “Well in that case then I insist you take a box. They're only sitting down there gathering dust, it’s better than someone enjoys them. I’ll ask Kreacher to put a box with the other bits.” 

“Other bits?” Draco asked. 

“You’ll see.” Harry smiled.

Harry got the garlic bread and the pasta out and sent them over to the table too. Then he got his glass of wine and went over to join Draco.

He told Draco to help himself and then once he had Harry got a portion. They tucked into lunch just like they did this everyday. For a while they ate in silence but it was nice. It had been quite an emotional morning so it was good to take some time out and be quiet but at the same time not be alone. 

Harry wondered if he’d ever really eaten in this much silence with someone else before. Perhaps a little bit last week when it was only him and George for breakfast but normally when he was at the table with Weasleys it was always noisy. He found that he liked being in a comfortable silence next to Draco and his mind drifted to what it would be like if Draco was here all the time. He thought it might be OK, maybe even nice. If someone had told him two weeks ago that he’d not only be picturing Draco living with him but also thinking that it wouldn’t be so bad, he’d have told them they were crazy.

Draco seemed to be comfortable with the quiet too. Harry was realising that for someone who liked so much drama and attention at school, Draco was surprisingly withdrawn as a man. He wondered if the blonde had really changed that much or whether he’d just always been like that deep down. He’d already admitted a large part of him at school was just playing a part but the lines had been so blurred for him that he had never really known the difference between who he really was and who his father was telling him to be. 

It must be so hard to grow up like that. At least Harry had been able to grow from 11 knowing who he was and becoming his own person, even if he had been pulled in a few directions sometimes by Dumbledore and others, he hadn’t had anyone controlling him as much as Draco had. He guessed now that’s why Draco had moved to France, so that he could become the man he was today. Harry was glad, he liked the man he was today.

When Harry had eaten enough he pushed his plate away.

“So I realised I never actually gave you a proper answer.” He started cautiously as Draco looked up at him, still eating. 

“I’m still slightly worried about naming anyone with negative connotations… I just really want the story to be as positive as it can be, I know it’s a hard subject matter and it brings back a lot for people but I want it to be healing for everyone rather than just drag stuff up again… but I do see what you’re saying about explaining you who were raised to be is not who you are. I actually understand that a lot as it’s part of the reason I want to share my story in the first place so it would be hypocritical of me not to give you the platform to do the same.” Harry had been thinking about this over their silent lunch and had realised another glaring obviously similarity between himself at Draco.

“You were raised to be a weapon for the dark and I was raised to be one for the light and that’s how people see us even now but that doesn’t mean that’s who we are.” Harry said quietly, staring off into space as something else came to him. 

“You know Sirius said something to me once. He said that we’ve all got both light and dark inside us. What matters is the part we act on, that’s who we really are… it’s true you know, for both of us. You took longer to realise who you really were because you couldn’t act in the way you wanted to whilst being controlled by your father and by Riddle. It’s not your fault you know, I don’t see how anyone can blame you for that. Plenty of people have been pressured into doing bad things but it doesn’t make them a bad person.” Harry looked back at Draco now who finished eating and pushed his plate away too.

“If you were in my position you wouldn’t have allowed yourself to be controlled and manipulated by Riddle at least.” Draco said flatly whilst looking down at the table. “You would have let him kill you before you hurt anyone or followed his orders.”

“No one else can know what they would have done in another person’s situation.” Harry said gently. “I mean, yeah maybe if I was in your position and if it was just me that would have paid the price then yeah I probably would have done but what good would that have done in the long run? If you’d have stood up to Riddle and he killed you then you’d be dead and he’d find someone else to do what he wanted. But it wouldn’t have been you who paid the price anyway I’m guessing. You did it for your mother right? He was threatening her life if you didn’t do what he said?”

Harry paused and Draco made eye contact with him nodding slowly. 

“So you could have refused, he would have killed her we both know he would have done and then he’d have kept you alive to live with the guilt and the grief. Snape would have still killed Dumbledore anyway, or Dumbledore would have died from his cursed hand and Voldemort would have still placed Snape as headmaster and found his way into Hogwarts. You can’t beat yourself up for any of that. None of it was your fault. I probably would have done the same in your situation to be honest-”

Draco snorted in disbelief. 

“I’m serious Draco, I don’t know what I would have done exactly… but if- if my mother was alive, I’d have protected her at all costs. Yes I would have still tried to save everyone of course, but if anyone knows that whatever you do you can’t save everyone then it’s me.” Harry said quietly.

Draco reached across the table to place his hand delicately on top of Harry’s. The touch made Harry snap his head back to look at Draco and then when their eyes met Draco spoke softly to him.

“You did the absolute best you could Harry, you did more than enough!” Draco’s touch was soft but his words were firm. “It was war, there were always going to be casualties and no one could have prevented that but you still did what no one else could do, you ended it. I know you didn’t save everyone but that’s impossible and those deaths aren’t on you. You stopped so many more deaths, you stopped the world from descending into darkness and evil, we have peace now because of you. You did the best you could in a terrible situation.”

“So did you Draco.” Harry said, turning his hand underneath Draco’s so that they were palm to palm and then curling his fingers around the top of Draco’s hand gently holding it. “You could have become the full fledged Death Eater they were pressuring you to be but you didn’t. That would have been the easy choice for you, fighting against that was hard. You did the bare minimum you had to do to keep yourself and your family alive without ever actually fighting.”

“It’s called self-preservation Harry, a cowardly Slytherin trait.” Draco said, with a sharp tone of bitterness and attempting to pull back his hand from Harry’s. 

Harry tightened his hold around Draco’s hand to stop him from pulling away. “No it’s called bravery, a notoriously Gryffindor trait but one that certain Slytherins like you and Snape happen to possess. Anyone who tried to resist Voldemort in any way, even if it was only small, could never be called a coward.” He said with a small smile. 

“You did NOT just call me a Gryffindor!” Draco huffed and Harry gave a little chuckle.

Draco still didn’t look convinced but he did relax his body language a bit and allowed his hand to be held once more by Harry. Harry thought he could see the tiny flicker of a smile in his eyes.

They stayed like that for a few quiet moments until Draco broke the silence.

“So the book then. Can we rewrite those chapters a bit? Put my name in but maybe also do the interaction from my point of view too? There were still loads of things in those chapters that I wanted to ask but we got into things a bit deeper than I thought today…” Draco sighed.

Harry nodded. “Yes Draco, we can rewrite them however you want and you can add your perspective too. If you’re sure that you want to be named throughout then that’s fine by me… I actually really admire you for it… I just don’t want it to have a negative backlash for you from the press… but we’ll just have to convince them to see you how I see you.”

“How- How do you see me?” Draco asked quietly, avoiding Harry’s eye.

This Draco made Harry’s heart clench. This Draco looked like the lost little boy who never had any affection. It almost made Harry want to hold him and never let me go. To tell him that he was cared for, that he cared about him, because he had realised now that he did. He was still a little confused about his feelings, he didn’t know if he cared about Draco in the same way that he did Ron, or Fred or whether there was something more here. All he knew was that he liked Draco a lot and didn’t want the man to hurt anymore.

He couldn’t say any of that yet though, not when he hadn’t figured things out. He didn’t trust his words to convey how he was feeling at the best of times. So instead he just went for something that he hoped would make Draco smile.

“You dress yourself up as a beautiful, elegant silver snake who is charming and witty with a dry sense of humour and the ability to command any room. You are that person too but underneath you’re also a regal, brave little lion who is quiet and shy but can also be fierce and protective if needed.” Harry said fondly.

Then he blushed faintly as he heard the words that came out of his mouth. His stupid words had run away with him again and had come out all wrong. He’d added a few too many adjectives there… did he really just call Draco beautiful out loud?!

But then Draco was looking at him in a way he’d never seen before, so open and readable with a look of pride and affection in those silver sparkling eyes. He realised that it was truly the only word to describe Draco. He really was beautiful inside and out.

That was when it hit him. He was in big trouble here.  
Draco was definitely not just a friend anymore. 

He was so much more than that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ...and breathe!  
> What did you think?  
> Please let me know <3
> 
> We'll get back to some fluff next chapter I promise but there might be some more intense stuff and some angst coming... :S :/


	16. Draco: Thursday 6th October-Saturday 8th October

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We get to see Draco's reaction following the intense conversation with Harry and catch up with what's going on in his head now.  
> Plus, at the end there is the dinner with Harry, Draco and Blaise.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I promised you a fun fluffy chapter, here it is! Enjoy it while it lasts!  
> Who wants to see Draco get slightly drunk with margaritas and talk about Greengrass-Weasley babies?! I do!  
> Lots of little hints at things that have happened in the background this week and things that are yet to come.  
> Plus a surprise new look for Harry! Wonder what brought that on?! Maybe he's trying to impress someone?!  
> ;) <3  
> *~*  
> I had some constructive criticism about exclamation marks and realised that I do use them a lot (see above?!) so I've tried to dial them down here and only use them when I think the characters are actually using that tone of voice if that makes sense. Also I've deliberately used them more for Harry as I think he's more expressive than the Slytherins and removed a lot of the ones I used for Blaise as I agree that they don't really fit his character. Also tipsy Draco and Daphne have more of them and that is deliberate too.  
> Thank for you for the tips I genuinely appreciate them and I want to improve as a writer so if anyone has anymore of them then please let me know!

Draco couldn’t believe it had been less than a month since he’d reacquainted with Harry. So much had changed in such a short space of time and he wasn’t quite sure what they meant to each other now it was… intense. They’d almost skipped over the friendship part now and become something more but Draco had no idea what to call it, he’d never been in this situation before. All he knew was that yesterday had changed everything.

Yesterday he had been more emotionally vulnerable than he’d ever been in front of anyone. He’d broken down a couple of times in front of Blaise and now Daphne once but he’d always managed to pull back a little bit, get himself together and then let it all out completely when they’d gone. He could let his defences down with his two best friends but it had taken him years to do so and even now they were still intact around them, ready to pull back up at any time if needed. 

Harry, however, had managed to penetrate Draco’s defences in a few short weeks. Draco realised yesterday that his barriers had utterly crumbled around the man but instead of panicking he’d had the exact opposite reaction. He had allowed himself to feel completely free without the walls that usually trapped him in and it had felt amazing… very cathartic. 

Never in one day had he had such a roller coaster of emotions and it was the first time in years that he’d properly allowed himself to reflect on the past. Draco had freely admitted that his persona at school had basically been a complete lie and his home life was nowhere near what he’d portrayed it to be. He’d never admitted that to anyone before and he actually felt right that the person to confess to had been the person he’d antagonised the most during that time. Blaise and Daphne knew little bits of course but it had mostly been small pieces of the puzzle that they’d put together over years of knowing him and little bits of information he had given. Yet in three hours he had told Harry more than even his best friends knew. It had surprised him that he revealed that much, he hadn't expected to but he found that he wasn’t worrying about it now, he didn’t regret it. 

The confession had been liberating and for the first time in his life he wanted to tell someone everything and just completely let it all out. He ever thought that person would be Harry Potter but life had a way of surprising you sometimes. Harry had reacted perfectly to everything, he wasn’t as dramatic about things as Blaise could be and he didn’t mother him like Daphne tended to. He had just been there patiently listening, ready to jump in when needed. Draco knew that Harry wasn’t as eloquent with his words as he was so it actually made sense to him that the man’s gut reaction was to offer physical comfort.

Blaise and Daphne were good at comforting him when he needed it but they had nothing on Harry. He normally didn’t respond well to physical touch, he wasn’t used to receiving it in his life so it felt strange to him, so personal, like they were reaching into the little protective bubble that he surrounded himself in. His instinct was to recoil from it even though he actually craved it, it was complicated. Harry’s touch was unlike anything he’d ever experienced and he hadn’t realised he wanted it so much until he’d had it and when he had it he never wanted to lose it.

There had been this intense energy between the two of them yesterday which was like nothing he’d ever felt before. He had felt the heat of arousal before of course, although admittedly that was a lot stronger with Harry than anyone else too, but this had been more than sexual tension, it had been a strong personal connection drawing them together. He never thought he could find anyone that he could be completely himself around and who would understand him fully, yet now he couldn’t help but think Harry could be that person.

Watching Harry in his home just doing normal everyday things had felt so special to Draco, especially since he found out that Harry never had anyone over. It was like he’d been invited into an exclusive part of the man’s life. Even in the less intense moments where they’d just been drinking or eating either talking or not talking, it had all just felt so right, so normal, so… perfect.

It was all this combined that made Draco finally admit to himself that he wanted Harry Potter. Harry was attractive, funny, kind, loyal, a good listener and a good friend. He cooked, he had a nice house, he was good at giving physical affection as well as making Draco feel special with words, and little token gifts, he truly was the complete package. Draco had never dared to hope that he could one day settle down with a man but when he had pictured it he’d pictured someone exactly like Harry. Somehow he knew that Harry would always look after him and make him feel cared for and safe. Deep down that was what Draco had always wanted. 

Draco was pretty sure by now that Harry was single and at least bisexual if not gay but he wasn’t even sure if any of that even mattered. He wanted Harry and he’d seen enough for him to be certain that Harry was at least thinking about Draco in the same way. I mean, surely Harry must like him too… He’d gone looking for that wine just because Draco had said it was his favourite that meant something right? Unless he was just always that attentive and caring towards his friends. Maybe he was, he was a good man after all perhaps that’s just the sort of thing he’d do. 

It wasn’t just that though, it had been Harry’s words too. He’d called him a little prince and then blushed straight after he’d said it and looked away. It had been there though, Draco had seen it he was sure. Draco thought that it was just missing a ‘my’ at the beginning of it. What would it feel like to be on the receiving end of those words… If Harry called him my little prince… He wanted that, badly. There were more of Harry’s words echoing through his head too. ‘Beautiful elegant snake’ and ‘regal brave lion’. Was that really now Harry saw him? Was that who he was? 

He didn’t know what Harry wanted from life, frankly he had no idea how the man was still single, he was definitely a catch. Did Harry even want a boyfriend? Would he only be after something casual or did he want to settle down properly? What were his views on marriage and children? Draco didn’t know the answers but he would find out what Harry wanted and he would make sure to be the one who made him happy. 

He realised he so desperately wanted Harry to be happy, it was the least the man deserved. He couldn’t believe that someone who had given everything to the world had basically had nothing back from it. How could he have grown up thinking he was worthless? Did he still believe deep down that he was? He was the most worthy person Draco knew and he wanted to make sure Harry knew that. Someone Draco realised that both him and Harry had grown up without affection and they probably both craved it, both secretly searching for love and acceptance from this world in some way. Could they provide it for each other? Draco thought they could.

It was absolutely absurd on the one hand that him and Harry could ever be together like that but yet suddenly it seemed to make perfect sense to Draco and he just knew it would happen one day. It wouldn’t be easy, there would be a whole load of obstacles in their way but they’d survived a war, surely they could get through anything? It would be worth it in the end to be together, Draco would make sure of it. He didn’t know for definite how Harry was feeling of course but he was quietly confident. 

Harry had held his hand, for Merlin’s sake, unless the other man was in the habit of holding all his male friends' hand, which he doubted, then it had meant something to Harry too. Draco meant something to Harry, he was sure of it. Harry had held him close and stroked his hair, Draco never let anyone touch his hair! He’d fucked his fair share of men but it had always only been sex, they’d never cuddled, they’d never stroked each other’s hair but having Harry’s fingers run through his blonde locks had felt so nice, so personal. It was strange how he’d yet to even see the man topless but everything they’d done yesterday felt to Draco like it was the most intimate he’d ever been with a man. How was that possible?!

There was nothing else for it, he wanted Harry fully and completely in every possible way and definitely not just as a friend, or even just as a lover… It had gone beyond that now and once Draco set his mind to something he would do everything in his power to make that something happen. This was the next thing in his life. He’d been focused on setting his business up for so many years that the project had consumed him. He’d done that now, he’d got here and it was everything he had hoped it would be and more. The shop looked amazing and the business was thriving. 

The next goal that he had was to make Harry Potter his and his alone. When he made his mind up about this it had filled him with renewed passion and purpose. He knew it wouldn’t be easy and he knew it might take some time but when had that ever put him off before. Blaise was right, Draco liked a challenge. Draco could be patient if he knew he’d get what he wanted in the end, he could play the long game. 

Draco would use Blaise for the first part of his plan. Harry had mentioned before Draco left yesterday about the three of them meeting up on Saturday for the dinner Harry owed them from the bet they’d made. Of course Draco had mentioned his desire to not go out in the wizarding world but Harry said he would take them somewhere muggle. The idea of going to a muggle restaurant worried Draco slightly, not because he looked down on muggles anymore but just because it would be a completely new experience to him and he didn’t always like new experiences. 

He felt safer in a world he knew but then the world he knew wasn’t safe with Lucius in it… plus he had been OK in Paris. It had taken him a while to navigate and find the places he liked but he’d been able to explore and adapt to his new normal, so he’d adapt now. He would be with Harry, what could go wrong? Also it would be nice to go out with Harry even if Blaise was there. He had to admit the muggle world did appeal to him, no one knew him there, he could be anyone he wanted to be. 

Perhaps with Harry’s guidance he could go out in the muggle world a bit more, explore their shops and their restaurants. Merlin knows he did need to start feeding himself better, he had to admit he was getting more tired and light headed recently, not to mention he was as skinny now as he’d been in sixth year which was not good. At least he wasn’t as sickly grey and pale as he’d been then. He was getting adequate sleep and the vitamins in the sustenance potions were good. It was just calories he was lacking really. 

At least the quality of the beverages in his life had just gone up. Harry had packed a bag ready for him to take home yesterday which had been by the front door as he left. It contained a french press for coffee that Harry insisted was a spare as well as coffee beans, milk and cinnamon syrup. Harry had also written down the spells and directions needed to make different types of coffee. Draco had refused it all at first of course. 

Harry had already given him the case of wine which he’d been happy to accept as it had been from the old Black wine cellar and Harry had admitted he wouldn’t drink it all as it wasn’t his favourite. Personally Draco thought the man drank too much anyway so he was probably doing him a favour. The other things on top of the wine though was too much and Draco hated being treated like some charity case. 

He couldn’t stand the thought of Harry pitying Draco or knowing the true extent of his circumstances. He was willing to open up to Harry more and be more vulnerable with his feelings but he still had limits and wanted to maintain his pride. He wanted to be seen as Harry’s equal, if Harry shared things then Draco could too and they could help each other but he would absolutely not be seen as the more helpless one who couldn’t even feed himself or buy furniture for his flat. 

Harry had been very persistent though and in the end Draco had given in but only because Harry had admitted he needed some more shampoo which Draco was only too happy to make. An exchange of gifts between friends was acceptable, knowing he could give Harry things back that Harry needed and would appreciate made Draco feel good.

Plus he secretly loved the idea of replacing all of Harry’s products with products he’d made himself. Having the other man smell of Draco’s favourite scents was definitely appealing,plus he was fairly confident that he could get Harry’s hair looking a bit glossier and softer instead of wiry, although he didn’t think anyone would ever actually be able to tame it! He didn’t mind that though, it made Harry who he was and one day he hoped he could run his fingers through Harry’s hair too.

*~*

Thursday was another day of meetings as Pierre, although fortunately not quite as many as Tuesday as he already had quite a few commissions to be getting on with. He had managed to brew a bit in the end yesterday late afternoon and evening though as he’d left Harry’s around 3pm when the other man needed to go pick up his Godson from school so he wasn’t as behind on his work as he thought he might be, he just needed to stay on top of it. It gave him nothing to do in the evenings though too. He only had his potions and business books, he didn’t have any books that he could read for pleasure, he didn't have anything entertaining in his flat really! 

The only hobby he could do here in his spare time was his art. Art had always been something he was interested in. As a child his father had wanted him to study some wizarding artists so he could impress people in the future with his knowledge. Lucius had an art dealer who had always kept him up to date with the latest ‘must have’ pieces to purchase so that they could make an impression on anyone that came to the Manor. Lucius would also give expensive pieces to people who he wanted to collect favours from at a later date but then man had never actually appreciated the work as Draco had done. 

France had been such an inspiring place and beautiful to draw. He’d often sat on his balcony at the Chateau and drawn the view or taken his pencils with him on a walk around Paris to see what he could capture in his sketchbook. His prize drawings were framed on the wall of the shop and Daphne often told him how many people admired them. Fortunately those drawings had been sitting with his most recent sketchbook and pencils alongside the plans he’d had for the shop in his business folders so they hadn’t been burnt along with all his other possessions. His older sketchbooks though which were full of pictures were now lost to him.

He floo called Blaise on Thursday evening managing to catch him before he went off to wine and dine another potential client and told him he’d pick him up at 6:45 on Saturday evening before then going to meet Harry. Blaise agreed but he couldn’t stay and chat for long and Daphne had left work promptly as she had her first dinner date with George that evening so Draco was alone once again. He didn't mind though, he changed from his Pierre outfit and into his comfy joggers and went to the cellar to get busy with his creations. This wasn’t technically work though, these were for Harry and Draco was determined to make them perfectly.

Friday had been another successful day. He had been feeling so much better since letting out some of his emotions on Wednesday. He packed up all the commissions and owl orders that he’d made taking care to make each one look professional but beautiful. He packed up the things he’d made for Harry too and set them on his desk ready to take Saturday.

Daphne came into the back room at four o’clock precisely having just shut the shop. Draco had already transformed into Pierre and had the twenty boxes labelled, wrapped and neatly shrunk into two piles of ten. 

“Hello darling.” She said happily as she wandered in. “All ready to go?”

“Yes, if you take that pile I’ll take this one.” Draco said as they each picked up a pile.

“You know the business must be making enough money by now for you to buy a couple of owls.” Daphne pointed out. “It’s got to be cheaper in the longer run than renting the post office owls each week.”

“Well a couple of owls would hardly be able to take twenty parcels in one day would they?” Draco answered back. “I’d need to buy at least five I think which would be expensive, and then I’d have to prepare and coordinate different deliveries on different days so they could take at least one a day, plus all the cages and the treats, also where would I even keep them?”

“That’s true I suppose.” Daphne replied. “You could at least ask George to borrow theirs, they have a small owlery in their attic with about ten owls I believe.”

“Daphne, I am not going to ask your boyfriend for help!” Draco said, rolling his eyes. “It’s my business and I will find ways of coping, they need their owls for this business.”

“Whatever you say then boss. I just don’t think it would kill you to swallow your pride and ask for help once in a while.” Daphne said, waving one hand dramatically. “And he’s hardly my boyfriend Draco. We’ve had one official date.”

“Plus the mini lunch date he took you on the other day, and you said he popped into the shop on Monday so by my count that means you’ve seen him four times in the last six days.” Draco said with a crafty smile.

“Oh the first two times don’t count.” Daphne said dismissively.

“Well you still haven’t actually told me about your date.” Draco said, pouting as they made their way out of the store room. “Come one Daphne I have to live vicariously through you you owe me details.”

“Yes, yes, when we get to Blaise’s you can have all the details you want. But let’s get these posted out first shall we?” Daphne said professionally but with a hidden little smirk. She had been in a good mood all day so it had obviously gone well. “Besides, it might not be too long now until you have an exciting date of your own.”

Draco didn’t respond to that, he could hardly take Harry Potter out on a proper date as much as he would like to. Not in the wizarding world anyway, and not yet! Maybe one day… Definitely one day.

Daphne went out the back door first and then Draco followed. He wasn’t overly cautious as he was dressed as Pierre but this was just habit and the front of the shop was already closed and locked up for the night so this was easier. Draco put all the usual security locks and spells on the place before they left and then turned to walk to the post office.

His shop was a terraced building and at the rear was an alleyway that all the backs of the shops next to his lead out onto. He only had to walk past the back of two more shops to access the side alley that ran round to the front of Diagon Alley. As he turned in that direction he saw a flash of someone ducking back around the corner from the alley but he could still see their shadow on the ground. They had clearly just gone round the corner but they weren’t walking off yet… was it possible that the person was waiting for him or was he being paranoid? He stopped Daphne by grabbing hold of her arm, she did stop but she clearly hadn’t seen what he’d seen. 

“Let’s just apparate.” He said quietly, still looking at the shadow on the ground by the corner. 

“Why? It’s really not that far and we usually walk.” Daphne said suspiciously. She had lowered her voice too and was looking around but Draco had already taken her arm thinking, as always, of the three D’s.

They arrived a split second later in front of the post office. Draco’s apparition was always seamless even when he was taking someone who didn’t expect it. 

“You could have given me a little bit more warning!” Daphne hissed straightening her black and gold robes she always wore now in her shopkeeper role. Draco had used his little bit of money from last week to have them specially commissioned for her with his logo on.

“I’m sorry, something just didn’t feel right. I wanted to leave.” Draco said, still looking around him. 

It might have been obvious from the parcels where they were going and it wouldn’t take someone too long to catch up to them on foot if they really were following or spying on them.

“I don’t see what you’re so worried about Pierre.” Daphne said deliberately emphasising his fake name.

“Probably nothing.” Draco agreed hoping that he was just being stupid. “Still, let’s just get these sent and go.”

Daphne took charge, taking her parcels to the counter first. The staff knew her in there now and she was always good at getting people to like her enough to do exactly what she wanted but also be scared of her just enough to do the best job they could with it. Also Draco didn’t like to speak too much in public as Pierre, he didn’t think his voice was that distinctive especially as there shouldn’t be anyone around who knew him, but you could never be sure.

When Daphne’s first lot had been sent off with various different owls Draco sent his pile over to her and those were soon done too. They got it charged to their account as always and then left out the side door.

Draco was keeping watch the whole time and admittedly he didn’t see anything amiss and no one seemed to have followed them here. He relaxed slightly thinking that it probably had been nothing after all.

“Do you need to go back for anything or shall we just go straight there?” Daphne asked.

“I don’t need anything and I’d rather not go back just in case anyone is waiting there. The place is secure enough though.” Draco shrugged. “What about you? Do you not want to go home and get changed first?” 

“Oh no, I’ve been avoiding home all week didn’t I mention I was staying at the Penthouse?” Daphne said half laughing.

“No you didn’t. Why on earth you at Blaise’s for? It can’t be that bad surely?” Draco said with a raised eyebrow.

“It can!” Daphne insisted. “Ever since it officially turned October the whole house has gone mad! I can’t walk into a room without being asked to solve some last minute wedding dilemma and there is so much stuff everywhere. I mean you’d think we were hosting a wedding for Merlin himself with a thousand guests instead of a hundred, it’s ridiculous.”

“Like you won’t be exactly the same when you get married.” Draco gave her a telling look. “Oh Merlin... Can you imagine if you married into the Weasley family?” Draco laughed and then noticed that Daphne just blushed slightly instead of just laughed it off.

“Daphne…? Why didn’t you laugh…?” Draco asked dramatically.

“Well… is that such a ridiculous idea?” She said slowly, not making eye contact with Draco.

“Daphne, take me to Blaise’s right this second and tell me everything that happened on this date!” Draco said in a mock demanding voice.

*~*

A couple of hours later they were relaxing in Blaise’s luxurious sitting room looking out the big glass panels onto the nighttime views of London with some cocktails. Cocktails were Daphne’s favourite and she’d gotten a bit carried away at the bar that Blaise had in his apartment, waving her wand around to make all sorts of colourful mixes. She said they were celebrating but he still didn’t really know what.

Draco liked cocktails too, they appealed to his sweet tooth. Even though he still didn’t like to get properly drunk, he found with these coming weeks that he could let himself go and relax a bit more on Blaise’s on a Friday night, another reason why nights in were so much better than nights out. Although Fridays were still work nights for himself and Daphne as he had to remind her and himself on several occasions. She had simply shrugged and said it was a good job that she worked somewhere with an ample stock of hangover potions. He couldn’t really argue with that as he continued to enjoy the drinks a bit too much, he might need his own hangover potion in the morning.

They had met at the Penthouse earlier than they usually did on a Friday and they had all been hungry so an early dinner of gourmet steak and chips from La Bouchard had been ordered via floo. Daphne had travelled through the floo twenty minutes later to pick it this time whilst Blaise showered and got changed from work having arrived home later than them. 

With all the distractions of dinner, Blaise needing to vent about his assistant making a mistake on a client's paperwork, and Daphne making cocktails, Draco had forgotten all about Daphne’s date.

“Ooooh Blaise!” He said suddenly and hardly recognised his own voice, as he’d just finished another margarita. It was a muggle drink apparently but Draco liked it a lot, perhaps too much.

“What?” Said his friend clearly amused by Draco’s rare, slightly tipsy state.

“You’ll never guess what Daphne said earlier. She said she might marry George!” He said grinning.

“Oh Draco, that’s hardly what I said.” Daphne retorted, rolling her eyes. She seemed amused too though and not in the least bit annoyed as she turned to Blaise. “Draco was laughing at the idea of me marrying into the Weasley family and I simply said would that be so ridiculous…”

“But Daph... Your children would have orange hair! O-r-a-n-g-e!” Draco said loudly with wide eyes and flailing arms pronouncing each sound out.

“Yes I am well aware of the trait that runs in the Weasley family thank you darling.” Daphne replied with a sarcastic tone and a dramatic huff. 

“You know the eldest Weasley married Fleur Delacour right? She’s gorgeously blonde. They have two adorable daughters, George showed me some little photos that he has in his wallet, such a family man it’s really cute.” Daphne’s tone had turned hideously girly and quite unlike her which caused Draco and Blaise to look at each other with mock exasperated look. “Anyway the eldest is blonde and looks just like her mother so it is possible. Even the younger girl who has red hair is so pretty, it’s really more strawberry blonde than orange. Oh I forgot to tell you, their baby boy was born during the after party they had on Sunday night! Can you believe it?!” 

“Daphne, if you don’t stop talking about babies and cute Weasleys and adorable Weasley babies then I may vomit.” Blaise said dramatically.

Draco was nodding. “Agreed!” He took another large sip of the drink in front of him.

“Oh boys, you say that now but you both know that you’ll absolutely adore our little baby and will be fighting over who gets to be Godfather.” Daphne laughed.

Draco put down his half full glass on the coffee table and turned towards her. “Wait a minute, now a baby is really happening? Earlier you chastised me for calling him your boyfriend and how you’re imaging your children with him? In what world does that make sense?!”

“By the way, I am definitely the Godfather so that point doesn’t need to be discussed.” Blaise added in a completely serious tone.

“What?!” Draco turned back incredulously towards Blaise. “You don’t just get to decide that. What about me? I might never be a father, this might be my only chance. I should at least get a look in for the Godfather role!”

Blaise shrugged. “Relax Draco you can be Godfather to the second child.”

Draco huffed in mock annoyance, throwing his hands up in the air. “Oh great so now there’s two redheaded Greengrass-Weasley brats running around are there?! Who’s going to run my shop?.” 

“Ooooh!” Daphne exclaimed excitedly. “If they’re mine and George’s babies then they’ll be excellent shopkeepers! We can train one up to run his shop and one to run yours! Then George and I can take early retirement in Spain or somewhere else sunny!”

“Oh no Daphne, you can’t take a Weasley anywhere sunny. With their complexion that would just be a disaster.” Blaise announced in his dry sense of humour but then he turned slightly more serious again. “But Draco, you do realise that you’re far more likely to become a father than me right?”

“What with the way you go at it?!” Draco said, trying to maintain the humour. “I’m surprised you’re not a father already.”

Blaise snorted. “Well there are such things as protective charms you know! But anyway I was being serious, I have zero interest in fathering a child, you however... well I think you do, deep down.” 

“Merlin, when did this conversation get serious and depressing.” Draco mumbled picking up his margarita again. “I thought we were having fun.”

“Why is the idea of you being a father depressing?” Daphne asked in a quieter, more serious voice than she had been using earlier.

“Anything that I’m feeling deep down is always depressing.” Draco said, still mumbling into his margarita.

There was a slight pause and Draco caught Blaise and Daphne giving each other a bit of a knowing look.

“You’re not denying it then?” Blaise asked cautiously.

Draco sighed and put his drink back on the table again. He’d lost the taste for it now and suddenly he felt completely sober again.

“I’m still not really sure what I want to be honest.” Draco said seriously. “I think that raising a child is a huge responsibility and not something that couples should do just for the sake of creating the next generation. Trusting someone enough to have a child with them and co-parenting with them is a massive deal for me, I would want to be a united front for that child and raise them... properly. Plus I had always wondered whether I’d be doing the world a favour if the Malfoy line ended with me. I was terrified of having a child and being to them what my father was to me. Plus being gay does complicate matters slightly so… I guess I put the idea of ever having children out of my mind.”

“But now…?” Daphne prompted gently.

Draco took a deep breath. He wasn’t sure how to answer that question but the issue had been in his mind ever since he saw that annoyingly adorable photo of a toddler looking just like a mini Harry. He knew that it was still incredibly early days but when Draco formed a plan he always thought of every tiny last detail. The plan of dating Harry Potter involved knowing if the man wanted marriage and children and whatever the answer Draco needed to know himself what he’d think of any given scenario. He knew he wanted Harry, but did he want what Harry wanted?

He started replying slowly choosing his words carefully as he often did. 

“Now I am starting to realise that things could turn out differently, maybe… Lucius will be the last Malfoy, of that I am certain and it makes me happy. If I had a child I could breathe life into the Black family name again even if I have nothing else of the Black ancestry to offer them… or we could be a family under whatever surname my husband had. I’m certainly in no hurry to become a father though if it does ever happen. I still want to focus on the business, I’d like to have a proper home and some money in the bank to leave any future children I have with and I’m a long way off having that. Plus actually raising a child still does terrify me to be honest. I worry that I could never be a good father as I’ve never had one to be a role model for me.” 

Blaise and Daphne were giving him curious looks as if trying to understand everything he was saying but they were being patient. Draco could see they both had little hopeful smiles behind their eyes, Daphne was more obvious with this though.

He allowed himself a little half smile as he sat up straight to deliver his final line. “So I think the position I’m currently at is, if I found the right man to be by my side then I would consider it. If it was what he wanted of course but it wouldn’t be a deal breaker for me if he didn’t.”

“It’s good that you’re thinking about what you want and what could make you happy Draco and that you recognise things could turn out differently for you.” Daphne said kindly, placing a delicate hand on Draco’s knee. “I’m pleased about that.”

Blaise nodded slowly in agreement, his face still slightly serious. “You’re not your father Draco.” He said simply. 

Then he made eye contact with Draco and his face broke out into an unmistakably cheeky smirk. “You know there is someone you could marry and further the Black family line with that could give your children the Black inheritance.”

Draco laughed. “Yes the thought had crossed my mind I won’t lie, but we’re a long long long way off that.”

Then Draco laughed again at the satisfied look on Blaise’s face and the excited look on Daphne’s. “Yes, fine! I’ll admit it. I want to make Harry mine. Are you happy now?”

Daphne and Blaise grinned at each other and then back at him before they spoke one simple line in perfect unison.

“So what’s the plan?”

*~*

Less than twenty-four hours later Draco was back in Blaise’s apartment after another successful day of brewing with Daphne running the shop. She had pre-wedding bridesmaid duties to fulfil back at the Greengrass estate tonight, much to her annoyance, but apparently George was planning to go out to keep an eye on his slightly more reckless twin tonight so she couldn’t use a date with him as an excuse. Draco and Blaise had plans with Harry.

Draco was just standing in Blaise’s sitting room waiting for the man to finish getting ready. He was worse than Draco was! Well maybe not worse… but just as bad! Draco had spent about an hour choosing the right outfit, not that he had a lot to choose from now to be fair. He knew they were going somewhere muggle and Harry said it was casual so he decided he would wear his jeans again that Blaise got him but he wanted to look a bit smarter than he had done for the Quidditch match. 

In the end he settled for his black dragonhide boots again but with a crisp black long sleeved shirt which he left open at the collar. It was one of his favourite shirts now seeing as he’d lost all of his actual favourite shirts. It fitted him perfectly despite the fact that it was off the rack, highlighting his narrow but muscular shoulders and upper chest but just hung nicely over his waist and stomach which were probably too skinny. He’d been pleased with this cheap but good purchase when he’d been shopping with Daphne about a month ago. 

He added a loose black jacket to the outfit and paired it with a deep green scarf. It was getting colder now and he knew they were walking from Harry’s to the restaurant. Of course discreet warming charms could be cast but he’d ever been anywhere muggle before and wanted to fit in. Plus Blaise always said a good outfit reveal was a must on a date if you could get away with wearing a coat. Not that this was a date of course…. But still, it wouldn’t hurt.

Just then Blaise came out wearing black jeans and a deep purple cashmere jumper with a long black coat and a silver scarf. 

“Right, I’m ready.” He announced before giving Draco a once over. He paused slightly and looked at him again.

“What?” Draco asked, examining the man’s face. “You don’t like this outfit?” 

“It’s not that I don’t like it, it’s perfectly fine but it’s just that it could be better.” Blaise said seriously.

“Blaise!” Draco cried out. “Don’t tell me that now when we have to meet Harry in 10 minutes! What’s wrong with it? Should I go home and change?”

“Relax, it's still a good look. The shirt is excellent and the boots too, I just feel like it would look better with grey jeans than blue jeans that’s all.” Balise said in a considered flat one as he often spoke.

“Well I only have one pair of jeans so what am I supposed to do?!” Draco whined dramatically. 

Sometimes he hated being poor now. Not only did he not have much money he was also clueless as to where or even how to shop in Muggle London. He really was not prepared for adult life on his own… he’d have to learn.

“I have a pair of grey skinny jeans that I hardly wear, you can have them. They’ll be easy enough to shrink in the leg a bit or they can just gather, you’re not that much shorter than me. We used to be the same size around the waist… although we might have to shrink them slightly for you now.” Blaise said staring at Draco’s waist and frowning. 

Draco didn’t say anything, he was just weighing up whether he wanted Blaise’s help again or not. Part of him didn’t of course but he realised he might have to start accepting help more and he did want to look perfect for Harry. It wouldn’t do for Harry to think he only had one pair of jeans he supposed.

“Fine. Let’s give them a go.” Draco said, resigning himself. “But we need to be quick.”

Five minutes later he was dressed in Blaise’s grey skinny jeans and he had to admit the outfit did look ten times better now. They did have to shrink them a bit but Blaise was pretty good at tailoring charms, much better than Draco was. Draco tried to ignore the worried looks Blaise gave him as he got changed in front of Blaise for the first time in a long time, he didn’t want a lecture and fortunately Blaise didn’t give him one but he did give him a simple warning.

“Draco, I’m not going to go on about it as I know you’ll just get annoyed with me but if I don’t see you put weight on in the next two weeks I will start bringing you dinner every night OK? So either get it sorted or ask for help.” Blaise said in his serious tone.

“I will Blaise, I promise.” Draco found himself saying honestly. 

If he really thought about it then he knew he was going to have to start prioritising his health over his bank balance. He had to admit he was getting tired very easily these days and his yoga routines were becoming exhausting. He knew if he didn’t start increasing his calories he’d probably start collapsing, it was only because of the sustenance potions he had daily that he hadn’t done already. Maybe he would ask Harry where the market was he mentioned, surely it would be safe to go disguised as Pierre? He doubted his father would have a clue where to shop for food anyway so he was unlikely to be hanging around there.

Blaise was looking at him carefully again but he seemed to believe him. “Well Harry is paying tonight so eat as much as you can.” He said in his dry but humorous tone.

“Well he might not pay if we're late, come on we need to go.” Draco said back.

“We’re meeting outside his house and walking right?” Blaise checked.

“Yes but I’ll have to side along you, I can’t give you the address as it’s under the fidelius charm.” Draco explained.

“Right.” Blaise said slowly and gave Draco a sceptical look. “But he’s trusted you with it? Have you been there before?”

“Yes I was there Wednesday if you must know. He knows where I live after all, it's hardly a big deal.” Draco said flatly even thought he knew in his head it was a big deal that Harry trusted him.

“No, not a big deal at all that in two weeks you’ve managed to trust each other completely despite being enemies for years…” Blaise said sarcastically.

Draco snorted. If Blaise only knew how much trust they had put in each other in such a short space of time. Draco was hardly going to betray Harry’s secrets though when he’d only just gained his trust.  
Blaise held onto Draco’s arm as Draco took them just on the edge of the little park in the middle of Grimmauld place, deliberately arriving behind the big tree he knew was there just in case any muggles were watching. The park was deserted just as it had been the other day though. Draco told Blaise to wait there as he went to knock on Harry’s door. He also had the boxes of products to give to Harry.

This time he was expecting Harry to answer the door but when greeted by Harry he couldn’t help but stare. Harry looked very different.

The man had sported stubble since Draco had reacquainted him and Draco had always liked it. It made him look more mature and more manly than the boy he’d known at school. On Wednesday Draco did notice it had been longer on Wednesday but he assumed that’s because he’d woken Harry up before he’d had the chance to shave. Now though it seemed like he hadn’t shaved all week and was now sporting a short beard all over his jaw and shaped around his mouth. It looked good, very good.

The other glaring change was the lack of glasses. Harry’s incredible bottle green eyes seemed even more vibrant without the glasses to hide behind. They were dazzling in the most amazing way. Looking into them Draco almost felt like he couldn’t breathe. 

Harry was wearing dark beige chinos with brown shoes, a brown belt and a simple navy round neck top with a short navy jacket over the top with the collar popped up. He looked good as always. Harry, unlike Draco, seemed to have an abundance of different clothes and wore something slightly different every time Draco saw him. The jeans were still his favourite but these chinos looked good too and the man did now know to put things together. 

Draco wondered if Harry always dressed like this or whether he was putting extra effort into all his different outfits for Draco’s benefit. Also what about the sudden new look, was that for his benefit too? Was Harry trying to impress him or was he reading too much into it? 

“Hey.” Harry said, greeting him with a big grin after Draco had been rendered speechless for a few minutes.

Smiling was also a good look on Harry and the man seemed really pleased to see Draco.

“Hey yourself.” Draco said with a small smile on his own managing to find the words and stop himself from staring at Harry.

“What do you think of the new look then?” Harry asked. 

He was leaning against the door frame casually but Draco thought he picked up a slight nervous tone to his voice and then he ran his hand through his hair which Draco noticed had been trimmed slightly. It was a trait he always did when he was anxious, Draco knew that by now. He felt a warm feeling flood through him and he realised Harry had done this for him, he was sure of it by the way that Harry was waiting for Draco’s approval on the new look so nervously.

“Yeah, I like it.” Draco said, trying to hold back his enthusiasm for exactly how much he liked it much he wanted Harry to know a little of his feelings to give him some encouragement. “You look good.” He added.

Harry broke out into a grin. “Thanks.” He said happily.

“So what prompted this then? Couldn’t be bothered to shave or find your glasses? I take it you can see?” Draco said dryly trying to diffuse the sexual tension he felt with humour.

“Yes of course I can see you idiot.” Harry said, rolling his eyes. He had spoken it affectionately through. 

“I’ve been meaning to get my eyes fixed for ages, you have no idea how many times my glasses got broken in the field with the aurors. They’re pretty impractical really! Hermione always pesters me about it and she made a consultation appointment for me years ago. I kept meaning to but I just never had time I guess. Anyway, I contacted St. Mungos yesterday and they fitted me in straight away. The beard isn’t exactly a new thing, I’ve gone a few weeks without shaving before and let it grow out. I’ve always kind of liked it but with the glasses too and the fringe well, I guess there wasn’t much of my face left! I think without the glasses it looks better so I might keep it.”

Harry hesitated for a second before adding something else slightly nervously. “If -if- you think it looks good that is. Er, do you think I should keep it?”

Draco already knew the answer. “Yes.” He said simply.

Harry relaxed and grinned again. “Good. I will then.” Was all he said.

Clearly he did care what Draco thought of his appearance at the very least then. There was a slight moment as they were looking at each other where Draco wondered what it would be like to kiss Harry. Of course he’d thought this before but now he was imagining it without the glasses in the way and with the feel of Harry’s beard against his smooth skin. Hmm…

Draco suddenly cleared his throat and looked away from Harry’s intense eyes. He then remembered the other reason why he’d come to the door.

“I bought these for you.” Draco said quickly, passing him a black box with a thin gold trim and wrapped up in a thick gold ribbon.

Harry half frowned and half smiled at the box. “What’s this? You didn’t have to get me a gift.”

Draco rolled his eyes. “Yes I did, in exchange for the wine and the coffee items you gave me. Plus we talked about this remember, you must have been expecting it. I made you shampoo, shower gel, some more aftershave although this one is slightly different. I tweaked it based on what I think you’d like but just let me know if it’s not quite right. There are a few other bits in there too that I just threw in.”

He most certainly had just ‘just thrown them in’. He’d created each one specifically with Harry in mind working hard until they were perfect, but he wasn’t going to let the ohter man know that. 

“Oh right.” Harry said surprised but then smiled properly. “I was just expecting a bottle of shampoo you didn’t have to do all the rest of it but I won’t say no! Thanks a lot.”

He took the boxes from Draco still looking at them very happily. He hesitated slightly before looking into Draco’s eyes. “Did you make a new bespoke after shave just for me?” 

Draco tried to sound casual. “Yes, it’s no big deal I’ve done it for Blaise and Daphne. It’s what I’m best at, working out what scents remind me of what people and creating a unique blend of what they’d like. You saw what I did for Granger, seemed fitting to make you one too instead of the generic one you usually order from me.”

Harry smiled shyly at him looking very endearing. “And what scents remind you of me?” He said quietly, still looking straight into Draco’s eyes.

Draco swallowed thickly fighting back the urge to kiss Harry for about the fourth time in as many minutes. That wouldn’t fit his plan to take things slow and win Harry’s affection gradually. He didn’t want to get in too deep until he figured out if him and Harry would actually work long term. Draco didn’t want to waste his time and risk getting hurt if it wouldn’t. Although it might be too late to avoid getting hurt anyway.

He again tried to sound casual although he wasn’t sure if he’d achieved it as successfully as before. 

“The woody scents of broomsticks and I know you like the sandalwood one which is now I scent I associate with you. Coffee is obviously something you like and that strong coffee scent that filled your kitchen the other day inspired me. Also, I know you don’t have a massively sweet tooth but I added subtle scents of caramel and cinnamon because I always saw you tucking into treacle tarts whenever they were served at school and you clearly have ample supplies of cinnamon syrup so it must be something you like. As you proved the other day, cinnamon and coffee go very well together.”

Harry looked like he was considering something and then he broke out in another huge grin shaking his head slightly. “So you obviously watched me in the Great Hall as much as I watched you. Your favourite were the chocolate éclairs right?!”

Draco was surprised. Of course he knew that Harry kept an annoyingly close eye on him at school but he hadn’t realised that Harry would have picked up on little details like that and remembered them all these years later. 

He nodded shly. “Yes actually, still are my favourite. The bakery in Diagon Alley has some particularly nice ones.”

“Oh yeah that place is great!” Harry agreed anthusically. “I always go there if I fancy something sweet. Although they’re great at savoury stuff too, often I get their sausage rolls.”

“Anyway, we should probably get going.” Harry said after a slight pause where the two men stared into each other's eyes. “Looks like Blaise is waiting for us even though he can’t see the door.” Harry said looking past Draco’s shoulder and laughing slightly. 

Harry sent the boxes up the stairs with a wave of his hand as Draco stepped back into the path to allow Harry to leave the house. Blaise registered him on the path and walked across the road to meet them both as Harry stepped out too.

“Finally.” Blaise said with his signature raised eyebrow. “You boys took your time.”

Draco smiled slightly at him but then looked away quickly.

“Blaise.” Harry nodded fondly in his direction.

“Harry.” Blaise greeted back. “Looking good.”

“Thanks.” Harry said, smiling widely again.

“You know it doesn’t take a genius to work out where you live when you seemingly step out of a brick wall in between number 11 and number 13.” Blaise said dryly.

Harry gave a little low chuckle. “You can know where I live and still not be able to see the house or get in unless I specifically tell you the address. There were Death Eaters and snatchers standing where you were for weeks when we were hiding out here during the war. They knew where we were but it didn’t help them actually find us.”

“How did you make in and out without them seeing you though?” Draco asked.

“We apparatted from under the cloak.” Harry replied.

Blaise was the one to reply this time. “Ah the mystery cloak. Of course.”

Harry laughed again but didn’t elaborate. “Right, come on then. This way, it’s not far.”

They chatted away as if they’d all been friends for years as Harry led them through the streets of Islington. Draco was pleased at how Harry had seamlessly just fitted into his life and that him and Blaise got on well. He thought back to the first evening they’d all met at Daphne’s, it had seemed strange then, like Harry didn’t belong there. Yet here they were only three weeks later and Draco thought the next time the four of them met up again it would just feel natural.

Draco still felt a little nervous walking around London as himself but he told himself that no one here knew him. He was safe in muggle London he was sure, his father hardly knew his way around these parts. Unless he’d hired someone to find Draco who did… Was it possible? Draco wasn’t sure. 

As far as he was aware Lucius hadn’t had any dodgy dealings with anyone since the war. The ministry was still keeping an eye on him and mostly Lucius and Narcissa just kept to themselves. They hardly ever left the Manor anymore and they had more than enough money that Lucius never needed to work even after his business developments and investments had collapsed. He put the thoughts out of his mind determined to enjoy himself tonight. Lucius was not going to ruin everything for him. 

*~*

After a ten minute walk they arrived at a simple and small Indian restaurant. It wasn’t like any restaurant Draco had ever been too but it seemed nice enough and there were some really lovely fragrant smells wafting towards them as soon as Harry opened the door.

A very pretty young woman greeted them at the door. “Hello James, it’s been a while but nice to see you again.” 

“Hi Aesha.” Harry said, smiling politely at her.

She was so obviously eyeing Harry up and Draco felt himself immediately getting annoyed with her. “You got rid of your glasses. You look even better without them.” She said fluttering her long dark eyelashes at him.

Harry gave a nervous laugh and ran his hand through his hair again. Why was he nervous? Draco asked himself frowning. Was it because he liked this girl? Or was it because he didn’t like the attention she was giving him. Draco very much hoped it was the latter. There was something about the woman that reminded him of Parvati Patil and he remembered the surge of jealousy he felt towards her at the Yule Ball as she danced with Harry. 

“Err thanks.” Harry stuttered. “Erm anyway... I booked a table for three of us?” He prompted her whilst looking at the floor.

“Of course, I put your favourite table aside when I saw your booking. This way.” She said finally looking over in Draco and Blaise’s direction. She smiled at them satisfyingly, probably because it didn’t look like Harry was on a date, Draco thought, and then led them to a rectangular table right in the far left corner. 

Harry slid into the booth next to the wall. Draco hesitated, his natural reaction was to sit with his back to the wall too, probably for the same reason as Harry, but he didn’t want to sit next to Harry, that would seem too desperate. Besides, he preferred to be able to look at him properly. Making up his mind he elegantly scooted onto the bench seat the other side of the table from Harry and Blaise sat next to him.

The waitress passed the menus out lingering a little longer than usual over Harry as she leaned in to give him his. Harry however didn’t seem to be looking at her or encouraging her interactions in any way and when she no longer had an excuse to stay she left them to it.

Draco made sure she was out of hearing range before he looked at Harry with a raised eyebrow.

“James?” He questioned.

Harry looked at him a bit sheepishly. “What?! You think you’re the only one who can have a fake name?”

Draco scoffed lightly. “What’s the rest of it?”

Harry looked slightly embarrassed. “Er, James Black actually. Sorry about that but I’ve used it to book things for years.” He half mumbled.

Draco gave a small laugh and shook his head slightly. “Well we can hardly pretend to be brothers, we look nothing alike.”

“You could be husbands.” Blaise piped up with a smirk.

Draco smiled to himself when Harry coughed slightly and looked away slightly flushed and couldn’t help himself.

“Yes that’s an idea, it might stop the waitress from fawning over you so obviously.” He said looking at Harry’s face carefully for any reaction.

Harry flushed again with embarrassment. “Yeah sorry about that, it was one of the reasons why I stopped coming here so often actually but the food is really good and I never get bothered here, well by anyone aside from her that is.”

“So you’re not interested then?” Blaise questioned which Draco was very grateful for.

Harry shook his head, making Draco smile even more. “Nah, I mean she’s pretty but she’s obviously not my type. I blame Ron, he tried to set me up with her years ago when we came here regularly despite me telling him repeatedly to stop. I didn’t want to string her along. I tried to make it clear that it wasn’t going to happen and she did dial it down a lot so…” 

He trailed off awkwardly as the waitress approached their table again asking what they’d like to drink.

Harry ordered a pint of cobra, whatever that was. Blaise indicated he’d have the same but then when she looked at Draco he had a mild panic. Was he supposed to order this snake drink too? He didn’t know what he’d be ordering and he hadn’t had a chance to look at the menu. Surely muggles had wine but he didn’t know what sort they had, he didn’t do what would go best with the food either.

He looked up at Harry and saw he was looking amused. Fortunately Draco’s silent plea for help was answered.

“And the most expensive sweet white wine you have please, large.” Harry added with a smile but still looking at Draco rather than the waitress.

“Of course.” Draco heard the female voice say even though he still hadn’t broken eye contact with Harry. “Shall I bring the usual poppadoms and dips?”

“Yes please.” Harry replied, finally looking over at her and ending the silent staring contest that he and Draco had been having.

“Thank you.” Draco said simply once she’d gone.

Harry flashed him a dashing smile again that almost made his heart stop. “You’re welcome.” He replied clearly still amused by the situation.

“Flashing the cash tonight then Harry after losing the bet?” Blaise said in his dry but amused tone.

Harry laughed. “Well by your guys usual standard this place is cheap I’m sure, and I doubt their most expensive wine is like the one you prefer Draco!”

“Well I wouldn’t order Sauternes over dinner anyway. It’s more of a dessert wine or with light appetisers. Mostly I prefer to have it on it’s own so I can really enjoy it.” He replied instinctively, not aware of how much of a snob he sounded.

Fortunately for him though, Harry still seemed to like his slightly posh side as he was still smiling fondly. Then his expression turned to that of a mild confusion.

“Oh.” He said as if contemplating something. “So I’m guessing it doesn’t usually go with pasta and garlic bread then? When you had it at the Quidditch you weren’t eating…” He trailed off.

Draco couldn’t help the small laugh that escaped his lips. “No Harry, it doesn’t usually go with pasta and garlic bread.” He said in mock annoyance but was still smiling. “It didn’t matter though, I still enjoyed it thank you.”

Blaise was looking between the two of them with a half amused half suspicious look. Draco hadn't told him about his meeting with Harry on Wednesday. It seemed to him like a private day between the two of them. A second later the same woman was back with their drinks. Cobra as it turned out was a beer so Draco was glad he hadn't ordered it. His white wine looked fine but he had yet to taste it.

Blaise raised his drink into the air. “Well here’s to the new Mr and Mr Black, may you two be very happy together.” He said very loudly as the waitress flushed and hurried away.

Draco gave him a light smack on the arm for Harry’s benefit but secretly he was pleased and didn’t show his annoyance too obviously so the waitress would continue to believe the lie. Harry fortunately didn’t seem to mind Blaise’s little joke and was laughing. He even raised his own glass to join in with Blaise’s toast.

“Cheers.” He said and then looked pointedly at Draco.

Draco’s lip curled upwards slightly and he decided to have some fun if Harry seemed OK with it.

“To my darling husband.” He said with a smirk and raised his glass into the air before bringing it to his lips.

The wine was nice. It wasn’t the best Draco had ever had and it was more medium than sweet really but it had some good fruity notes to it. There was another pause in the conversation as some round cracker like things came to the table in a basket with a tray of three different coloured dips. Draco couldn’t help notice that a younger, more junior looking male waiter brought these to the table, not the pretty woman who had attended to them before.

“So tell me, does Weasley often try to set you up with, women, who so obviously aren’t your type?” Blaise asked suggestively putting emphasis on the word women.

Harry, who had just spooned some sort of onion dip or pickle thing onto his little side plate and broken one of the big crackers on to it, then looked at Blaise and replied. “Er, well yeah, he did before I set him straight and also told him I’d rather find my own dates.”

Draco knew what Blaise was trying to do but so far Harry was avoiding actually saying too much. Whether that was on purpose or weather he was just too oblivious about the line of questioning Draco wasn’t sure.

Blaise tucked into the appetiser and seemed to be thinking of a different tactic. Draco looked at the other two and thought he should try and follow suit but he actually hates eating with his hands usually.

Harry was looking at him hesitating and pushed some orange looking dip towards him.

“You’d like this Draco, it’s mango chutney, quite sweet.” He said.

Draco didn’t want to offend Harry when the man seemed to be trying to make him happy so he tentatively spooned some onto his plate before taking one of the circular things and breaking it slightly as the others had done. He scooped up some of the chutney onto a shard and tried it.

His face immediately revealed how much he liked it and Harry laughed. “Told you.” He said, satisfied.

Draco blushed faintly and smiled, still enjoying his mouthful.

Blaise spoke up again, seemingly decided on his next course of conversation.

“So the box was great last week thanks for that Harry.” He said simply.

“No problem, glad you enjoyed it.” Harry said, turning to Blaise and smiling.

“I was very intrigued about what George let slip.” Blaise said, his slightly flirty tone. “Wonder what the public would think of their saviour being a bit of an exhibitionist, are you sure you can trust the person you were with to keep quiet?”

Draco laughed to himself and once again studied Harry’s face. There was definitely embarrassment there but he didn’t seem annoyed with Blaise’s question.

“Well it was two years ago, so he’s had plenty of chances but it seems like the only person he told was George fortunately” Harry said avoiding anyone’s eye and taking a large sip of his beer.

Draco’s heart was almost thumping out of his chest. There it was, Harry had definitely used the male pronoun but didn’t even seem bothered about what he’d just revealed. Deep down he’d known it but it was nice to finally have some confirmation from Harry himself. 

Blaise looked like he was enjoying himself immensely. “And is this mystery man the only one who you’ve, erm, made full use of your private box with?” 

“Merlin, Zabini, it was just that one time. Let it go.” Harry snorted, shaking his head. Under his breath he muttered “I’m going to kill George.”

“Oh don’t do that.” Blaise said quickly. “Daphne would be most upset, she’s quite taken with him.”

Harry sat up straighter and smiled. “Oh that’s good!” He said happily. “I was at the flat Thursday night when George came home as Fred and I was eager to hear about it, it seems like it went well.”

Blaise nodded. “Yes I wouldn’t be surprised if we hear wedding bells and the pitter patter of tiny feet in the future.”

“She won’t thank you for saying that.” Draco added thinking he should probably make an effort to join in the conversation too.

“No she won’t but Harry won’t say anything will you?” Blaise said with a coy smile at the man.

“My lips are sealed.” Harry said, taking another sip of his beer.

Blaise paused for a moment before deciding to plunge straight in. “So what about you Harry? Are wedding bells and tiny feet in your future too?” He asked casually.

Harry coughed into his beer and spluttered a bit. It was not very elegant but it made Draco smile, when has Harry ever been elegant? Draco couldn’t help but think Blaise could have been smoother. He hadn't expected this to come up in the conversation so soon, weren’t they supposed to be deciding what to eat? Still, now it was out there he was eager to hear Harry’s response.

Once the black headed man had recovered he looked at Blaise suspiciously. “Why the sudden interest in my love life Blaise?”

“Oh it’s not sudden.” Blaise said quickly. “I’ve always been interested, Harry, so many rumours in all the magazines over the years and now I have the opportunity to get to know the real you. I find myself curious which publication was the most accurate.”

Blaise had an effortless but honest charm about him that always made him say whatever he thought and get away with it. He was excellent in all social situations and always knew how to get information out of people. That was why he was so successful at talking people into bed with him and talking others into making investments.

Harry seemed less suspicious of Blaise after that answer and shook his head in an amused way. “The Quibbler is usually the most accurate.” He said simply.

“Ah, so it’s the gay romantic family man then?” Blaise suggested.

Harry simply shrugged. “Luna is the only editor who actually knows me.”

Hmm so was that an admission? Draco thought to himself. Was Harry a gay romantic family man? Yes, he thought by the small slightly sad looking smile on Harry’s face, that’s exactly who he is. 

That was interesting.  
Very interesting.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So because I'm really sad, I actually have a Pinterest board with inspirations for my stories on them.  
> If you want to check out the one for this story you can do so using the link below. 
> 
> It might help you visualise things that I'm writing about a bit more such as looks and outfits. Also I have created my version of the new Grimmauld Place on the Sims (again yes, I really am that sad!) and although it's not as good as others I've seen and I'm not 100% happy with it, I might include some more screenshots of it as we go through the story to help give you more of an idea about he setting.  
> If any of you lovely talented people ever drew an fan art that is based on my stories or links with them in anyway then please get in touch I'd love to see them!  
> I wish I could draw!!
> 
> https://www.pinterest.co.uk/hufflepuffromantic/sharing-the-story-drarry-fic/


	17. Harry: Sunday 9th October

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Harry waits to call Draco after their 'not-a-date' date with Blaise and then tries to do something nice for him on the spur of the moment but it doesn't go according to plan.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We've all had that moment after a really good time with someone we fancy where we spend the next morning obsessing over whether we should call them or not right?!  
> Poor little clueless Harry!  
> *~*  
> This might be a hard chapter to read... I'm sorry :( Don't hate me!  
> I tried to make it up to you by putting more Fred and George in!  
> Also, it was a hard chapter to write. I've definitely realised that as a writer I'm not very good at the heavy, angsty stuff... mild crisis of confidence again with this chapter but I'm persevering with it and hopefully it still reads OK... :/   
> *~*  
> Warning: Mild trigger warning here any for alcohol/substance reliance. If this is something that worries you then rest assured that it won't really be a plot point from here on.  
> Again, Harry is not an addict, it's just an unhealthy coping mechanism/bad habit that he just picked up somewhere along the way and he's never really thought about it as it works so he just keeps on doing it until here when someone challenges him on it

Harry woke up on Sunday feeling the most content he’d been in a long time. Things since Draco randomly floo called him and then came round his house had been good. Well, things were still a little confusing and intense but also… good, hopeful. Last night had been really good too, fun and relaxing after Wednesday and things between him and Draco had definitely gotten a little flirty a few times, something that Blaise had only encouraged. Was Blaise trying to set them up? Did that mean that Draco had told Blaise he fancied Harry? He hoped so.

All he could think Sunday morning was whether it was too soon to floo call Draco. Draco had said he would be free later on today to work on the book together but that he needed to do some brewing first. They’d left it very loose just saying one of them would floo call and they’d meet up at some point. When they had this conversation last night it had seemed fine and a good thing to be flexible and carefree about their plans. Now thought Harry was very much regretting not getting some clarity. Should Harry be waiting for Draco to finish work and floo call him? Or would Draco be waiting for Harry to call? 

Usually he’d be spending Sunday at the Burrow but when Draco had asked Harry had stupidly said he was free all day and now he didn’t want to leave in case Draco called. He had floo called Molly and given his apologies saying he wanted a day to focus on the book. He felt bad but it wasn’t 100% a lie, he did need to go over his notes and plans before he met with Draco. He really wanted to make progress on this now. He decided he’d have to at least wait until after lunch to contact Draco so he had the whole morning in peace to brew. Harry sat himself in his study with a large french press of coffee and tried to write and plan.

What he actually found himself doing of course was thinking of Draco and everything that had changed in the last week since the Quidditch match. Wednesday had been a very revealing day. He knew that him and Draco would have difficult stuff to talk about and he’d already made his mind that he would tell Draco everything but he hadn’t expected them to get in so deep so soon. 

He thought he’d probably save his childhood until last as that was the worst thing, the trouble was when it came to talking about the book it obviously had to be done in order and his childhood was sort of first so in a way it had to be done. Now that he thought about it though he found himself glad that they’d started with that. He’s shared the worst part of his life with Draco, the part that he never tells anyone, and their relationship has come out the other side stronger. Surely that could only be a good thing? Surely that meant the talking about the rest of it wouldn’t be so bad?

The whole time with Draco that day was a bit of a blur now that when he tried to remember certain details he wasn’t sure they’d actually happened like that or if it was his brain playing tricks on him. Did they really hold hands for as long as Harry thought they did? Did he really stroke Draco’s hair? Whatever happened Harry knew it meant something to him and he was certain it wasn’t just him that felt their connection.

They’d spoken about the fact that they trusted each other openly now, that was good, it was out there and they seemed to both feel the same way about that. The two of them had also agreed that they understood each other more now. What they had shared had changed everything. Harry had been thinking back a lot to all their interactions at school and suddenly he seemed to view Draco in a different light throughout all those old memories knowing what he knew now. 

Everything just seemed to make much more sense now to Harry and their whole relationship and the reasons they each did what they did seemed clear to him. Draco had never really had a choice in his place in the world. He was raised to be Lucius Malfoy’s heir and a Death Eater, that was just the part he had to act for his whole life but not necessarily how he was. Harry had an insight now into the real Draco and he very much liked what he saw.

Yes, he’d admitted to himself now that he definitely fancied Draco and he thought the feeling was mutual. He wasn’t always great at knowing these things but he’d seen the way that Draco looked at him, the way he smiled and blushed slightly. The way he seemed to want to touch Harry more but always holding back, the way he wanted to say more but never quite did, always controlling himself. Harry wanted to know what it was like when Draco no longer felt the need to control himself, when he could let go completely. 

He knew realistically that probably wouldn’t be for a while. Draco was probably holding back for the same reasons that Harry was, you always had to play it a bit cool at the beginning and this certainly was the beginning. They hadn’t talked about any feelings or admitted any sort of attraction for each other, it was far too early for that, but Harry felt sure that one way or another it would happen eventually.

Harry wasn’t in a hurry, he could be patient, and there was every chance he was completely wrong about Draco liking him back in that way. He wanted to be sure of his feelings first before trying to ask him out on any sort of date, the last thing he’d want to do would be to make things awkward with their friendship or jeopardise the progress of the book. 

If someone had told him a month ago that he would be thinking of asking Draco out on a date he would have said they were mad. At first even when he acknowledged the guy was good looking the idea of them actually being together was crazy to him! Now though… now the idea of them being together just made so much sense he wondered how he had gone so long without seeing it. They’d always had passion, heat, intense feelings… and there was a fine line between love and hate. Not that he loved Draco of course, definitely not but somehow he thought he could, in time.

He’d thought a lot about the list of qualities he wanted in a potential husband over the years and although he had never been thinking of Draco he had to acknowledge the fact that Draco ticked every box. He was passionate, strong-willed, creative, driven, and intelligent. He was quiet at times, reflective but still fun with a good sense of humour; Harry liked his dry wit and sarcasm. He liked how he could command the attention of everyone in the room if he wanted to but still value privacy and discretion. He was confident and self-assured in a sexy way when he knew he was good at something but he had still shown Harry that he could be incredibly vulnerable and unsure of himself. He cared about his friends but was naturally introverted having a couple of best friends he kept close and would protect with his life. 

Somehow now when Harry pictured them as a couple he thought they would actually fit together pretty perfectly. They could integrate into one another’s lives quite well and be there for each other. They both seemed pretty broken men on the inside and although that could be a recipe for disaster, he didn’t think it would be. Maybe they could each be exactly what the other one needed. They were the complete opposite in some ways yet they had enough similarities to draw them together. He thought that would be quite complementary.

After a while Harry did focus properly on the pages of notes in front of him and after that he found time went quite quickly. Before he knew it, it was three o’clock already which was annoying as he told himself he’d call Draco at two. He went down into the sitting room and activated the floo call. With his head in the fire he could make out Draco’s office where he had first met him disguised as Pierre. He called out to Draco a few times and waited but there was no answer and he couldn’t hear any sign of movement. After a while he sighed and pulled his head out of the fire.

Well what was he supposed to do now? He probably just should wait for Draco to call him. It was likely that the man was just in his potions lab brewing and didn’t hear the floo call. But then wouldn't he know that Harry might call at some point? What if something was wrong? Harry couldn’t realistically fathom what could be wrong but now suddenly he was worried. Should he go round and check? Would that seem a bit too needy? Would Draco be annoyed if he just turned up? 

He knew logically that Draco was probably fine and that he should just wait for his call but Harry had never been very good at sitting and waiting. He grabbed his notes and things from upstairs plus a bottle of white wine from the fridge and made his way out of the door. 

He apparated on his front door step straight to the back of Draco’s shop and knocked loudly. At first there was no answer, he waited a bit and knocked again now starting to think that maybe something really was wrong. After a couple of minutes he was getting ready to test the wards feeling confident that he could break in no matter how strong Draco said they were, when he heard movement from the other side. He could tell someone was on the other side of the door but they seemed to be waiting rather than opening it.

After a minute a familiar voice called through and his first instinct was he was glad Draco was OK. “Harry, is that you?”

“Yes, it’s just me.” He called back hearing a small sigh of relief through the door. His second instinct was to feel stupid for even thinking about breaking in and suddenly he was worried again about turning up unannounced. 

Draco opened the door looking a bit flustered but… well, really rather cute in some sort of grey cotton dungaree style overalls and a black t-shirt. He never thought he’d ever see Draco in anything quite so casual, it was almost funny except it was also really endearing. Harry thought he would look good in anything but it was nice to see him this under-dressed, this natural. This was brewer Draco, even his hair was slightly dishevelled in the best possible way

It was also the first time Harry had seen him in short sleeves and it showed off his arms and shoulders nicely which were quite muscular for someone of his slim frame. He could also see the whole of the leather holster on Draco’s forearm although the wand from it was clearly in Draco’s right hand down by his side. He wondered whether it was more practical to have the holster on for him all the time or whether he kept it on to cover up what was underneath.

“Merlin Harry you gave me a fright, people don’t usually turn up unannounced.” Draco said, sounding slightly cross but he still stood to the side to let Harry in.

“Shit, Draco I’m sorry.” Harry said, stepping into the hallway as Draco closed the door behind him.

“I didn’t mean to scare you, I realise now that I probably shouldn’t have just turned up but I tried to floo call and you didn’t answer.” Harry rushed out quickly trying to explain himself. “And we did say we’d meet up today, I guess I just got worried which I know sounds stupid but I- er- well I don’t always think about things before I do them I guess so I just came here but if you’re busy I can go.”

“No.” Draco said quickly and then sighed. “Well I am busy but it’s fine you’re here now and, well, it’s sort of nice that you worried I guess.” He said with a faint flush which immediately made Harry feel better. “Sorry I didn’t hear the floo, I was downstairs. I’m in the middle of brewing which is why I look such a mess, sorry.”

“I don’t think you look a mess.” Harry said quickly. “I like the casual look, it looks good on you.” 

Then he worried it sounded too keen, he really wasn’t good at this and was beginning to feel flustered. Fortunately though Draco smiled, he always did seem to respond well to compliments.

“You bought wine.” He said looking at the bottle in Harry’s hand slightly cautiously.

“Yeah, it’s a different one. Italian by the looks of it and I think it’s a bit drier but it was what I had in the fridge. Not sure exactly if you only like sweet white or if you drink others…” Harry trailed off a bit awkwardly.

“I like most wines to be honest as long as they're good.” Draco said smiling but then looked a little worried about something, his eyes flickering ever so slightly to upstairs but Harry didn’t take much notice.

“I won’t be long, I had nearly finished to be honest but I just can’t leave the cauldron quite as it is. Give me ten minutes if that’s OK then we can make a plan.” He hesitated. “You can wait for me in the office.”

“Sure.” Harry said smiling.

Draco relaxed and gave me a big genuine smile before heading back down the stairs. 

Harry wandered into the office unsure exactly where to wait and what to do. Draco seemed slightly on edge to him today and he was worried about him. Yesterday he seemed content and he definitely said he wanted to see Harry today. Harry got an encouraging vibe from him and he knew Draco trusted him now, surely he’d want him here? Harry had welcomed Draco into his home after all, at the very least they were friends now. 

On reflection Harry thought it was fine that he was here. Draco was probably a little stressed out because he worked too hard. This was supposed to be his day off but it seemed like he’d been brewing non-stop all day. Had the man even eaten today? The dungarees were kind of cute but they did look like they were hanging off him a bit, Draco was thin, too thin. He looked tired today too. He wanted to show Draco that he could look after him, he’d always wanted someone to take care of.

Maybe he could surprise Draco with a nice early dinner, it would probably be welcome as he was sure that both of them had skipped lunch. They could get the wine open, Harry could cook, it would be relaxing and then they would have all evening to work on the book. Draco must have something in the cupboards of his flat he could work with. Maybe he should wait until he came back though, would it be rude to just go upstairs without him? But then it wouldn’t be a surprise...

Making his mind up that Draco wouldn’t mind now they were friends and that he would appreciate being taken care of, Harry grabbed the bottle of wine and then made his way upstairs to Draco’s flat determined to work quickly and have dinner on the go by the time Draco came up. It would be nice to treat him. When Harry opened the door at the top of the stairs to Draco’s flat he was shocked at what he saw, this was not what he expected at all.

The door opened out onto one reception room that was dark and dingy. It had a small corner kitchen and a couple of lounge furniture bits in the middle of the room. The opposite side of the room he could see an open door just showing a scruffy old bed that clearly dipped in the middle of the mattress. All the furniture looked like it had seen better days and the whole vibe was pretty depressing, it wasn’t what he expected from somewhere that Draco would live and it looked completely different from the glamorous shop downstairs. It was also so sparse, nothing personal here at all and not even any sort of entertainment. How did Draco spend his free time? He couldn’t even see any books. 

Harry suddenly felt sick, maybe he shouldn’t be here after all, was this why Draco was so private? Was this a part of his life that he was trying to keep hidden? He knew he should just turn back round and wait for Draco in the office. This was obviously the reason he’d been asked to do that. He knew exactly what he should do and yet somehow he couldn’t bring himself to do it. His curiosity had always gotten the better of him and he just needed to know if Draco was OK. It was OK if it was from a place of kindness right? Isn’t this what friends do for each other? Draco shouldn’t be living here, what if he needed help?

Before he could even think about what he was doing his feet led him into the kitchen area and his hands were opening cupboards. There was nothing here. The cupboards were basically empty. What did Draco eat? He saw the coffee bits on the side and at least they looked like they’d been used but Draco couldn’t survive just on coffee. There were some pastries from the bakery and a bit of bread but seemingly nothing to go with it. This wasn’t right, Harry needed to do something. Should he confront Draco about it? Should he do out and buy him stuff? Should he pretend he hadn’t seen it?

Just when he was trying to figure out what to do there was a tentative and worried voice coming up the stairs.

“H- Harry?”

It was the voice of the lost little boy again. Harry needed to help him, he just had to. 

“Yeah, Draco, I’m up here.” Harry called back cautiously. “I’m really sorry I-

“Harry what the fuck are you doing up here?” 

The voice didn’t sound lost or scared anymore, it sounded angry, very angry. Draco had come into view in the flat now and Harry was standing awkwardly in the kitchen with all the empty cupboard doors open.

Shit. Draco looked pissed off. Suddenly this was the Malfoy from school again.

“I’m really sorry Draco, I just thought-”

“You thought what?!” Draco spat out angrily. “You thought you’d just ignore my clear directions for you to wait in the office. You thought you’d just push your way up here into my private living area. You always think the rules don’t apply to you don’t you Potter. You always were a nosy git poking around where you don’t belong. Maybe you haven’t changed after all.”

“I wasn’t trying to be nosy, I promise, I was trying to do something nice for you.” Harry spoke quickly desperately trying to defend himself. “I was looking for glasses for the wine and then I thought I’d cook for you. I thought maybe you hadn’t eaten-”

“It’s none of your fucking business whether I’ve eaten or not Potter. I can take care of myself. You can’t just show up here unannounced when I’m working and then barge up here to look through all my fucking cupboards. It’s unacceptable. I’d like you to leave now.” Draco said shaking and not meeting Harry’s eye, clearly trying to control his anger.

“Draco please, I’m worried about you, you need to eat. We don’t have to be here, I won’t ever come again if you don’t want me to but at least come back to mine, let me cook for you.” Harry pleaded.

“I’m not your fucking charity case Potter! I’m perfectly fine. I- I just don’t get hungry that’s all I focus on my work and I have sustenance potions. I don’t need your help and I don’t need your pity. Get out.” 

Draco’s voice had dipped a bit in the middle and Harry could tell that he was cracking but by the end he sounded just as angry as he had done before. Harry was half worried that he might start hexing him if he didn’t leave. Maybe he should leave… but how could he just leave Draco here now knowing the conditions he lived in.

Harry tried to make eye contact with Draco but the other man was refusing to look at him. He tried to put everything that he was feeling, all his care and affection into his voice as he spoke calmly and softly.

“It’s not pity Draco, it’s just what people do when they care about each other. Please let me help you, it’s not charity it’s called friendship and you can help me too… It doesn’t have to be one sided... We all need help from time to time and there’s nothing with that, please… You can’t live here, it’s not suitable… I- I’m worried about you. I can help you fix it up… or better yet, just- just come and live with me? It’s a big house, loads of space and lots of food. It can be temporary if you want, just until you-”

“I told you I don’t need help. I’m fine.” Draco interrupted him quietly but severely, although he didn’t seem convinced with his own statement.

“Draco please, just come to mine and we can talk, sort something out. You can’t stay here, I mean look at the state of your bed-”

“Merlin Potter is there anywhere you haven’t looked?” Draco finally looked at him but his eyes weren’t the beautiful silver ones that Harry had seen last night. Instead these were the cold grey stones that he remembered from school. The eyes of Lucius Malfoy.

“Anything else you’d like to know Potter?! Anywhere else you’d like to nosy around? Make sure to have a good look around while you’re here won’t you? Why don’t you go check out my tiny weak shower? And do go open the wardrobe too to see my pathetic pile of clothes. Perhaps you’d like to see inside my vault as well while we’re at it so you can pity me for how little money I have now is that it? You want to laugh at me? How the mighty have fallen right? Is that what this is? Do you take pleasure in looking around my miserable excuse for a flat?”

“No Draco that’s-” Harry tried but Draco was in full force now. His wand was drawn and he was furious.

“You just can’t help it can you, playing the hero? You tried to convince me you didn’t like it but here you are, Saint Potter trying to save me again. Well maybe I don’t want saving. Maybe I’m trying to make it on my own, maybe I’m trying to prove I can do it and I will do it Potter. You’ll see.” 

Draco’s voice was scornful and full of malice now. “You know you’re not so perfect right? You have a big fancy house now and I’m sure your bed is so much more comfortable than mine but you still can’t sleep at night can you? Not without my dreamless sleep, or does a bottle of whisky work just as well? You’re no better than me. You’re a mess Potter, you drink far too much and you take far too many potions. You think I hadn’t worked that out? Well I’d like to see how you cope without them because I’m not making them for you anymore. Your next batch is sitting in the office, I was going to give them to you but then talk to you gently about the fact that you rely on them too much but I don’t think I will now. You say you’re just trying to help me well then let me help you too with your pathetic little addiction. I’m cutting you off. Now go the fuck home and don’t come back here again.”

“Draco-”

“NO POTTER JUST SHUT UP AND FUCKING LEAVE ALREADY.” Draco shouted at him tense, angry and shaking. He was enraged. “AND TAKE YOUR STUPID PATHETIC BOOK WITH YOU. I WANT NOTHING TO DO WITH IT.”

Harry was stunned into silence and couldn’t even move. The Draco in front of him now wasn’t the one he’d seen over the last week. This was the boy who hated him, he could see it in Draco’s eyes. He hated him. 

Draco looked away from Harry once more and Harry could tell that he was desperately trying to hold himself together. He was cracking through and when he spoke once more it was so sad that it broke Harry’s heart.

“This was a mistake.” Draco said simply.

With that statement Draco just walked off to his bedroom and slammed the door shut leaving Harry just standing there.

Suddenly Harry was taken back to his relationship with Draco during sixth year and he didn’t know what to do. Draco was broken and needed help but he hated Harry now, Harry had ruined it. How could he help Draco now? He knew if he went after him it wouldn’t end well. Draco had looked like he was about to cry. Harry didn’t want to leave but he’d walked in on Draco crying once before when the boy had hated him and it hadn’t ended well. 

That day had been the worst day of Harry’s life and that was saying something. That was Harry’s biggest regret to date and he couldn’t afford to make the same mistake again. Harry felt like he couldn’t breathe. He needed to get out of here. Draco didn’t want him here. He shouldn’t be here. He’d ruined everything.

He went down the stairs the same way he’d come and was straight out the back door. Once he was in the alleyway at the back of Draco’s shop he broke down. He slid down the wall and slumped onto the dirty stone floor with his head in his hands, letting all his emotions out at once. It had just started to rain but Harry couldn’t bring himself to care. It was fitting really. He didn’t even bother casting a warming charm or a water repelling charm on himself. He deserved to sit here in the cold, wet, dirt.

Harry couldn’t remember the last time he’d cried but suddenly he was crying about everything. He was crying about the fact that he was lost and lonely and so fucking tired. He was crying about the fact that he just wanted a normal happy life but he didn’t know how to get it. But most of all he was crying about the fact that he’d just allowed himself to believe that he could be happy, he’d just allowed someone in who he thought could be the one and he’d fucked it up already. 

It had been three days since he’d decided that Draco was who he wanted and he hadn’t even got to the stage where he could ask the man out without already pushing him away. His plan was to take it slow with Draco, working to gain the man’s trust and build it up gradually as they spent time together but he’d just rushed in like a stupid idiot and tried too hard to do something nice for Draco that it had completely backfired on him. 

What was he supposed to do now? He couldn’t wait here, he couldn’t go back to Draco but he didn’t want to go home either. Draco was right, he was an absolute mess. If he went home he’d just drown himself in a bottle, maybe that wasn’t the best thing to do. He knew where he usually went if he felt like this but could he still go there? Was that selfish? Was he really welcome?

Yes. He told himself. Fred and George would always welcome him no matter what and no judgement. Getting to his feet slowly he felt his legs shaking. He didn’t even know how long he’d been here now. He couldn’t walk across one of the busiest streets in wizarding Britain looking like this, even on a Sunday when it was quieter. He tried to think about his destination clearly and willed himself to feel strong enough to make it there. 

The next second he was at the back of the Weasleys shop. He hadn’t done it smoothly at all and found himself once again on the floor but at least he hadn’t splinched himself. Well he didn’t think he had but he felt too numb to feel any pain at the moment anyway. The only thing that was hurting was his heart which felt like it was thumping outside of his chest. 

He clutched his chest as he shakily got to his feet and made his way into the shop. He was keyed into the wards here so he could always get in. It was dark and empty downstairs but he knew it would be. He found his ways slowly up the stairs and stumbled into the twins sitting room. There was no sign of them anywhere, they must still be at the Burrow then. 

Harry wasn’t planning on this, that had been one of the reasons he’d come here instead of going home, but now finding this place empty too he couldn’t help himself. He just needed to stop feeling for a little while, stop thinking. He summoned a bottle of firewhiskey from the kitchen whilst walking over to the sofa. Except as it came towards him he realised he’d summoned it too strongly, too fiercely and it wasn’t controlled, it wasn’t stopping. 

The bottle smacked into his hand so hard that it hurt as it slapped his skin and he automatically dropped it. It fell to the floor and smashed sending pieces of glass everywhere. It was the last straw. Harry sunk to his knees not even caring that he was kneeling into glass. He could barely feel the sharp shards cutting into his skin, except for searing pain that cut through his hand. His upper body crumbled and then he was suddenly on his side on the floor in the middle of a puddle of whisky and glass. He curled up into the fetal position and lay there.

*~*

It was in this position that Fred and George found him half an hour later as the flooed back home from the Burrow. Harry was just vaguely aware of their footsteps and they stepped through the fireplace and the sound of their laughing happy voices filling the room.

Then the laughter stopped suddenly and there was silence for a second.

“Harry?” Came an uncertain voice.

“Merlin Harry, what’s happened?” Came a second.

“Harry can you hear us?” A voice of concern. At least somebody cared.

“Christ George, this is bad.”

“Yeah I know Fred but he’ll be OK, we can fix him up.”

“Do you think he can hear us…?”

“I dunno… Harry?”

“I- I- can.” Harry croaked out, his voice hoarse from crying so much.

“OK then that’s good”

“We’ve got you Harry, it’s OK, you’re OK.”

“We need to move out of this through OK? So we’re going to move you now.”

“O-OK” Harry found himself saying. He hadn’t opened his eyes yet, he hadn’t moved. He didn’t know for sure what was happening around him or which one of the twins was where but it didn’t matter. He knew they would take care of him.

He was floating in the air. It felt nice, it felt liberating. His limbs were aching, his knees felt funny and his something didn’t feel right with his wand hand either. The whole of his left side was really sore. 

“Lie him here Fred.”

“We need to put him on his right side and sort this mess out.”

“Yeah OK.”

Then Harry felt a soft surface beneath him. It was nice, he felt so tired, he felt like everything he’d been dealing with for years was just suddenly piled on top of him and it was pressing down on him like a great weight. He was just so fucking tired of it, of everything. He could just lie here. Lie here and forget about it all.

“Do you think we should call someone?”

“No, Harry wouldn't want that. Mum, Hermione… they’d worry too much, they’d ask too many questions.”

“Yeah... I know. It’s just, this is bad.”

“It’s only glass, you patched me up really well George, remember? My foot is fine now, we can do this.”

“OK. Get me a pot then or something will you.”

There was a pause in the speech for a second and Harry could feel movement around him. 

“Will this do?”

“Yeah that’s fine. We’ll have to summon all the glass out. We can put it in there and then work on healing the wounds.”

“It’s going to hurt, do you think we should give him a pain potion or something?”

“I- I don’t know, he seems pretty out of it, how can we be sure he hasn’t taken anything already? I mean how much of the bottle do you think he had?”

“I’m not sure, but there’s a lot of liquid on the floor. To be honest it doesn't look like he had a chance to drink much of it at all.”

“Hmm still, he could have had something before he came here. Let’s just make a start and if it seems like he’s in pain we can give him something.”

“OK.”

Harry could hear the voices and he could kind of make out what they were saying but he wasn’t really registering anything. His body was hurting all over and he started to feel sharp little pulls everywhere but he felt like he deserved the pain. Somehow it was helping in a way, he just wanted to feel something and not feel numb or empty. Finally, he felt himself giving in to the exhausting and sleeping without a drop of alcohol today or any potions for the first time in years.

A little while later, he had no idea when he woke up, his body felt like it was on fire. His right hand and his knees felt like hell and all the left side of his body felt sore. The skin felt stretched and painful all down it. He groaned and opened his eyes. The bedroom was familiar to him yet it wasn’t exactly what he was expecting to see. He realised this was George’s room, not Fred’s. Suddenly George came into view rising from the chair next to the bed and walking over to him.

“Hey.” He said softly.

“Hi.” Harry said back quietly, finding his voice came out better than before.

“How do you feel?” George asked carefully.

“In pain.” Harry answered honestly.

George nodded. “You should probably have some pain potion now. We didn’t give you anything, cos- well, we weren’t sure what you’d had.”

It was Harry’s turn to nod now. “Yeah, I- I- do remember everything, I could hear you guys talk I just didn’t have the energy to respond.”

“OK. Well do you want something now?” George asked.

Harry thought about it. He thought about what Draco had said. The words ‘you’re a mess Potter, you drink far too much and you take far too many potions’ came into his head closely followed by ‘pathetic little addiction’ in Draco’s scornful tone. Was it true? He knew he took a lot of potions but he wasn’t addicted or anything... it wasn’t that bad right? He had a pretty tough life, potions were there to help with that... He was in pain but somehow after Draco’s words he just couldn’t bring himself to put a potion to his lips.

“No.” He said after a moment shaking his head. “It’s not that bad, I have a high pain threshold. I'll be fine.”

“OK then. If you say so.” George said quietly. “We’re pretty sure we got all the glass up and we’ve covered all the wounds with bandages soaked in murtlap essence. Some were pretty deep, but they should all heal fine. The one on your hand is the worst, that one might take a while to close up and it might scar, I’m not too sure to be honest, I’m not the best healer but we figured if you’d come here then you didn’t want anyone else to know so...”

“Thank you George, for everything. You’ve done a great job I’m sure and I’m sorry for just turning up here and being such a fucking mess.” Harry said honestly reaching for George’s hand automatically with his right hand before noticing it was pretty heavily bandaged. He hesitated and drew it back.

He was still lying on his right side. He rolled over carefully and sat himself up in bed. George helped pulling up the pillows behind him to prop himself up. Harry pulled the covers up to look underneath and assess the damage. He noticed he was just wearing his boxers, he couldn’t remember when they’d undressed him or bandaged him up. His knees were both covered in dressing but other than that his legs looked OK, just a few shallow cuts and scrapes down his left thigh that had been cleaned but left undressed. It was the left side of his chest and stomach that felt sore and had the murtlap soaked bandages stuck to him. He has a few patches on his left arm that were covered up too.

“The jeans on your legs helped, the glass didn’t really get through them I guess or there were only small shards but your knees looked like you’d knelt in the glass first. Your top though was pretty thin and the big glass just cut straight through it. You must have been quite unlucky to just collapse right onto the big bits… I dunno. We binned the top, not really worth repairing to be honest. The biggest shard was impaled in your right hand, it went all the way through, pretty nasty.” George explained when he saw Harry looking.

Harry nodded slowly. “Right, sorry, that’s fine, thanks.” Were all he said and he pulled the covers back over him.

“Harry, what the hell happened?” George asked him.

Harry sighed and asked George a question of his own rather than answering his. “Where’s Fred?”

It was George who sighed this time. “He’s in his room. He did tell me to get him as soon as you woke up but I just thought I’d give him more time… Seeing you like that, well it kind of shook him up a bit.”

“Oh.” Harry said simply. “I’m sorry, maybe I shouldn’t have come. It was selfish of me I’m sorry, Fred- he- well… I shouldn’t tell him about this…” He said sadly, hanging his head.

“Is it about a guy then?” George asked casually.

Harry nodded slowly.

“OK.” George said and then hesitated. “Is it Draco?”

Harry looked up at him in surprise. “How- How did you know?” He asked quietly.

George shrugged. “I got a bit of a vibe from both of you at Quidditch the other day. I asked Daphne about it too and she didn’t give too much away but she smiled and said she thought you guys would probably get together eventually…. I- er, I warned Fred about it. I always tell him everything and I just wanted to give him the heads up in case, well I suppose in case something like this happened!”

“Oh.” Harry said again. “What did he say?”

“Well we both actually agreed that the two of you ending up together seems kind of inevitable in a way. Weirdly it seems to make a lot of sense and with who you guys both are now… well we can see you being good for each other… but…”

“But?” Harry prompted.

“But I guess we knew that some things from the past might come up and it might not be quite a smooth road for the two of you… You both obviously have stuff going on… I guess you two had a fight or something?”

Before Harry could reply, the bedroom door creaked open and Fred appeared round it. His face was tired and full of concern as he met Harry’s eyes but he gave him a feeble smile anyway as he pushed the door open further.

“Hey.” Fred said softly, coming into the room and closing the door behind him. “I thought I heard voices. You were supposed to come and get me when he woke up.” he directed at George.

“Sorry, I was going to but we were just talking.” George said from the chair that he was still sitting in.

Fred perched onto the bed next to Harry and seemed to reach out to touch him for a second but then thought better of it and drew his hand back into his lap. 

“What you talking about?” Fred asked Harry softly.

Harry looked at Fred but somehow couldn't find the words to reply. George replied for him.

“Draco.” He said simply.

Fred cracked a small smile. “Ah of course, who else could drive our Harry to such a state?! So it’s true then?” He asked softly, still looking at Harry.

Harry nodded slowly. “I’m sorry” He said quietly to Fred.

“Harry, you have nothing to be sorry about. You’re free to pursue whoever you want, you’ve done nothing wrong.” Fred said quietly but firmly to Harry, looking directly into his eyes.

“I know, it’s just it hasn’t been that long since me and you… and I don’t know if you’re really OK…” Harry trailed off awkwardly avoiding Fred’s eye.

Fred reached over and gently laid his hand on Harry’s right wrist just where the bandaged stopped. 

“Harry, look at me.” Fred said gently but still insistently. “I’m fine, OK. I will admit that I miss you more than I thought I would… It is harder than I thought but I am OK, or I will be. More than anything I want you to be happy. If you’re happy then I’m happy, I promise. So why don’t you tell us what happened and we’ll see what we can do to figure it out and make everything OK. Yeah?”

Harry hesitated but then saw the sincerity in Fred’s face and then looked at George who gave him an encouraging nod. He nodded slowly and took a deep breath. Then he told them everything, well almost everything.

He told them how he’d felt seeing Draco at Daphne’s and then again at the Quidditch and how it had stirred something up in him that he hadn’t understood at first. Then he told them about how different Draco seemed and what his attitude had been to the book, how much he’d impressed Harry with his honesty and his bravery. About how Draco wanted to share the truth with the world too to explain his actions and own his behaviour and how that made Harry feel. He told him about how Draco came round and how they’d really opened up to each other and exposed their vulnerabilities. He didn’t elaborate exactly on what they had shared, that was private, but he told them how they’d broken down barriers and confessed a few things as well as apologised for others. 

He told them how everything had changed after Wednesday. He admitted that his mini makeover that they’d teased him about on Thursday was for Draco’s benefit. How much he liked him and how he thought they could maybe be together one day. He told them about how he’d made a plan to take things slow but to try and impress Draco, to be a good friend to him, to maybe flirt with him a little and see where it went. He told them about last night and how nice it had been to be that relaxed around Draco and enjoy themselves alongside Blaise, about how much flirtation and sexual tension there had been and about how he thought Blaise had been encouraging it and trying to set them up.

Then he explained to them how he’d fucked everything up today. How he’d got it into his head that Draco would want to see, that he’d be welcome there because of how much trust they had shown in each other now. So he had just turned up and completely disrespected Draco’s privacy. He told them how he’d just been thinking of doing something nice for Draco, that he thought he pour a glass of wine and see if there was anything in the cupboards he could cook. How he honestly was just trying to show Draco that someone cared about him and that someone could look after him if he let them in.

He told them what he’d seen and then how Draco had been so cross with him, how he’d broken Draco’s trust by pushing too hard and how Draco now wanted nothing to do with him. He told them how angry Draco had been and everything he said but then the worst thing was right at the end when Draco had been hurt and sad saying that this was a mistake. Then explained how he’d felt after and how he’d come here and summoned the whiskey too hard and how it had smashed.

Fred and George just let him talk, let him explain it all and vent his feelings. When he finished Fred and George were still looking at him with the same kind, understanding non-judgemental eyes that he knew well.

“Oh Harry.” Fred said softly as he gave his wrist a gentle squeeze.

“I’ve fucked it up haven’t I?” Harry said quietly. “Draco’s right, why did I have to be so God damn nosy.”

“You’re not nosy Harry you’re caring.” George said earnestly.

Fred nodded in agreement. “Yeah, Harry, it came from a good place and I’m sure Draco knows that deep down. It sounds like he just got defensive-”

“-as a coping mechanism but after he’s calmed down maybe you can apologise and it will be OK.” George finished.

“Yeah I know, I thought that too. It’s the same persona from school, the outward aggression to protect himself. I get it, I really do, he doesn’t trust easily, he doesn’t let his barriers down easily but he let me in a little tiny bit and then instead of patiently waiting for him to let me in more I just barged my way through without permission.” Harry said, sighing. “He won’t forgive that. How can he ever trust me again now?”

“And the worst thing is that I know now how much he needs help but there’s no way in hell he’ll let me help him.” Harry continued sadly. “I figured stuff was still a bit messed up with his parents back at the Manor but I just thought he’d cut them out of his life and was doing OK now. I mean the shop looks amazing and expensive, I thought he must still have money… and I knew he was getting a bit skinny but I just thought he was working too hard and skipping meals, I’ve been there you know, with the aurors, I didn’t realise that he couldn’t feed himself…”

He hesitated again. “What am I supposed to do?” He said quietly.

Fred and George looked at each other and both of them seemed a little lost for words.

George sighed. “Honestly Harry, I don’t know-”

“-but we’ll figure it out together.” Fred finished.

They looked at each other again and smiled before turning back to Harry.

“We’ll get you together with your Slytherin Prince if it’s the last thing we do!” They said together.

Harry laughed. “I don’t deserve you guys. You’re too good for me.” He said, shaking his head.

“Of course you do Harry. You deserve every happiness in the world after what you’ve been through and everything you’ve done for everyone else. Now be selfish for once in your life and go after what you want.” Fred said stubbornly.

It was quiet for a moment before George said he was going to get them some soup. Fred let go of Harry’s wrist and sat on the bed properly next to Harry stretching out his legs and leaning back against the head of the bed. They weren’t touching and Harry noticed how there was nothing physical between them anymore. He just didn’t look at Fred in the same way anymore, there was no attraction there; he was just the same as George, the same as Ron, best friends.

“Fred?” Harry questioned.

“Hmm?” Came the response.

“I’m glad things aren’t awkward between us, your friendship means so much to me you know.” Harry said sincerely.

“Of course Harry, I’m always here you know that. I could never just cut you out of my life. Apart from George you’re my best friend. Probably even closer than Lee.” Fred said casually.

“Well thanks.” Harry said. He paused slightly and then continued quietly. “I really want you to be happy too though you know.” 

“Yeah, I want me to be happy too.” Fred said quietly. “I’m working on it though, I swear, I’ll figure it out.”

“Figure what out?” Harry asked.

Fred shrugged. “Figure out what makes me happy, what I want.”

“Oh.” Harry replied simply. “What do you think that is?”

“I dunno really.” Fred sighed.

“You still going out?” Harry enquired casually.

“Nah.” Fred replied. “I did a lot in the first week, but it didn’t end particularly well as you know. Got drunk and shagged someone different every night, but it just didn’t feel the same. I dunno, it’s weird. Felt a bit emptier than it did before, not as fun, just kind of made me feel a bit desperate and pathetic.”

“Hmm.” Harry said as he wasn’t quite sure what else to say. “And now?”

“Now I’m just staying in mostly. Focusing on work, focusing on George and being there for my family and trying to figure out what I want.” Fred spoke in a normal flat kind of voice but he didn’t seem sad, just thoughtful.

“I thought you went out with George on last night?” Harry asked thinking back.

“Yeah we did, but it wasn’t like normal. I wasn’t using him as my wing-man or anything. We just spent time together, drank and chatted, it was nice. We’re always so busy looking out for hot girls, or guys too in my case, that we never talk on nights out like that. It’s not the same now anyway, not now he’s smitten with Daphne, he wasn’t even window shopping! I’ve never seen him quite like this, he’s not just joking around, he really likes her already and it’s only been a week and I guess it’s just made me think...” Fred trailed off.

Harry thought back to his chat with George the other week. “Think about what it would be like if things got serious with them you mean?” 

Fred nodded. “Yeah… I mean don’t get me wrong I really want him to be happy and if she makes him happy then that’s all I care about I guess I was just worried about him leaving me behind, made me think maybe I should get myself someone too, you know, think a bit more long-term. Not marriage or kids or anything, just maybe a- a partner I guess...”

“Sure, I get that. If that’s what you want then I hope you find someone, I’m sure you will.” Harry said honestly. “But you know that George will never leave you behind right? Even if he does move out and get married or whatever, you’re still always going to be his brother, his best friend and his business partner. You’ll still see each other everyday.”

“We’ll see each other at work everyday, sure, and we’ll no doubt still see each other at Mum and Dad’s every Sunday with the rest of the family but I’d never have any quality time with him just us… It’s always been just us and… and I need that.” Fred said quietly.

“Well you’ll still have evenings and Satur-” Harry started when Fred cut him off.

“Yeah but he’s going to need quality time with his wife or whatever too, they’ll be their own family. She might not take kindly to him seeing me 7 days a week.”

Harry thought about it. “Well if it does end up being Daphne then I honestly think she’d expect it and not be too bothered. She’s very practical and pragmatic like that plus she likes her own time and she would still want quality time with Blaise -those two are really close you know- and she’d still want time with Draco and with her family too… She’s not the clingy or controlling type at all. Have you met her yet?”

Fred shook his head.

“Wait til you meet her. You’ll see. It will all work out OK Fred.”

“If you say so Harry.” Fred said with a faint smile.

“I do.” Harry replied stubbornly. “For all of us.” He added, trying to sound more confident than he felt.

Just then George came back with three bowls of chicken soup. Turned out Harry had slept for longer than he thought earlier and it was quite late. They ate their soup in George’s room mostly in silence. Harry couldn’t use his right hand and struggled slightly with his left. It didn’t feel right. He even tried controlling the spoon with magic, levitating so he could just slurp from it but he always used his right hand to channel controlled wandless magic with and it was hurting so much that he couldn’t quite do it right. He’d never managed wandless magic with his left hand unless it was done by accident, even his wand couldn’t be controlled in his left hand but he couldn’t grip it with his right at the moment. 

The effort from eating and the pain in his body coming back in waves were both making him sleepy. George seemed to notice.

“You should get some more sleep Harry.” He said.

Harry shook his head. “But I’m in your bed I can’t sleep-”

Fred cut him off. “Don’t be stupid Harry you’re not going anywhere. Stay here George can bunk in with me it’s fine.”

Harry thought about it for a moment before he revealed something he’d left out of his confessions earlier. “I- I-...” He trailed off not knowing how to say it.

“You what Harry? What is it?” Fred and George said simultaneously looking at Harry full of care.

“I don’t know if I can sleep.” Harry said quietly.

“Oh.” Fred said simply. “You want dreamless sleep? I think you left a vial-”

“No.” Harry said so suddenly that Fred and George looked at him again. He sighed knowing he needed to say it. “Draco implied I was an addict… he said it was pathetic… but I’m not though… right?” he added with uncertainty.

Fred and George exchanged a glance again.

“No…” George said slowly. “We don’t think you are-”

“-it’s just another coping mechanism and frankly we don’t blame you knowing what’s happened in your head in the past-” Fred chimed in.

“-and what you’re trying to forget.” George finished.

“Well I don’t want it any more… Draco said he’s not going to make it for me anyway but- I- well, I want to prove that I’m not, I just-”

“You just what?” Fred asked gently.

Harry flushed and looked away. “I have been really struggling to sleep on my own since we…” He trailed off.

George looked over to Fred and Harry just caught Fred shake his head at his twin out of the corner of his eye.

George sighed. “Right well looks like I’m about to share a bed with a man that isn’t my brother for the first time in my life. Should be fun!”

Fred laughed but Harry shook his head. “No George it’s fine you don’t have to-”

“Harry it’s fine. It’s really not a big deal if it helps you to sleep. It’s a big bed and I’ll keep my pyjamas on and my hands to myself don’t worry!” George assured Harry laughing.

“Besides it might be good to have George keep an eye on you. He’s better at the healing side of things than I am. He can help you in the night if you’re in pain or need your bandages changed or something.” Fred said, shrugging. 

Harry was too tired to argue anymore and he reluctantly agreed that it might be for the best. He was grateful deep down to not be sleeping alone. He felt more lonely after his falling out with Draco that he’d felt since before he started anything with Fred. There was a part of him that had wanted to crawl into Fred’s bed tonight to feel the familiar source of comfort he was used to but he knew that was a bad idea and he didn’t want to mess Fred around. This way was better.

All in all it wasn’t a bad night considering. He’d definitely had worse. He was in pain, mainly in his right hand which was really throbbing. George did end up changing the bandages then so he could put some fresh murtlap essence on the wound to help soothe it but Harry still refused a pain potion. After that he did manage to get a bit more sleep, it was definitely nice to not be on his own, even if he couldn’t stop thinking about Draco and whether he was OK. Apart from that one time, he didn’t seem to have disturbed George which he was grateful for, he didn’t want the man’s sleep to be disrupted by him.

Monday morning he woke feeling pretty crappy and sore. He was slow to move because his left side was hurting but he was pleased to see that at least the cuts on his knees had healed nicely over night. George changed the bandaged on his right hand again and seemed slightly worried that the wound hadn’t closed up as much as he’d like. He put some more dittany on it for good measure and then re-wrapped it. George gave him fresh dressings to put on the wounds down his side and on his arm but he didn’t wrap them up quite as much as before, they were looking better already.

Harry dragged himself out of bed for breakfast with the twins and then they went downstairs to the shop but they said they’d check up on him regularly. Verity was in today as well as Graham so they would definitely have the time. They still haven’t quite decided what to do about Graham. George had confessed that they were thinking about letting him go as they didn’t quite have enough work for him every day as they had initially thought but then sometimes it was useful to have him around. Then they said that maybe part time would be better than full time but Fred got the impression that Graham really needed this job so he didn’t have the heart to let him go or reduce his hours.

Talking about shop management got Harry thinking about the shop opposite again and what would be going on there this morning. Well truthfully he hadn’t stopped thinking about Draco. He realised now more than ever how much he’d grown to care about him in such a short space of time and the idea of not having Draco in his life was much more painful to him than his hand. He would spend today thinking about it and making a plan for how to apologise to Draco and win him back. It might take a long time but Harry was stubborn and he wasn’t giving up.

At nine o’clock he walked over to the window in Fred and George’s flat to look across the road. He didn’t know why exactly, he knew he wouldn’t see Draco. Draco would never come to the shop as himself, only as Pierre, but Harry knew that Monday was a brewing day for him so he’d spend the day in the cellar anyway. He just thought it might make him feel better somehow to see the shop open as normal. Except it didn’t…

Harry watched and waited but at ten past nine the shop still hadn’t opened. That was very unlike Draco and Daphne. Draco cared about his business, it was his pride and joy and he was excellent at time keeping. Harry knew how professional Daphne was too and how she'd never open up the shop late. That made Harry really worry, what if something was wrong? What if Draco wasn’t OK? Had he eaten dinner last night? What if he’d collapsed due to hunger or something? Or what if he was just a complete mess after their fall out yesterday? What was Harry supposed to do? 

He waited more and paced around the flat anxiously whilst looking out the window every thirty seconds for any sign of change. An hour later there was still no sign of movement and the shop was still closed.

Harry felt sick.   
Something was wrong and he didn’t know what to do about it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Not sure if Harry's reason/motivation for going upstairs is explained enough... I know it seems a bit stupid of him when Draco specifically tells him to wait in the office but I don't think it's exactly OOC for Harry to get something in his head and rush into it without really thinking about it and it did come from a good place.  
> Yes, he probably should have just turned back down and pretended not to see it but we all know that once Harry sees something he isn't supposed to see then he investigates further... It's just what he does!
> 
> Also I was debating on a reread if Draco's reaction seems a bit extreme but he is still pretty fragile and his gut reaction is to automatically push people away who get too close. Blaise and Daphne know this which is why they haven't pushed too far but it's not because they're bad friends... Also they don't realise how bad Draco's situation regarding food is and Draco hasn't overly complained to them about his living quarters.
> 
> Anyway... I'm probably overthinking it all so I'll shut up now.  
> Please let me know what you think though!


	18. Draco: Monday 10th October-Tuesday 11th October

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We see what's going on in Draco's head after his confrontation with Harry.  
> He finally admits he needs help and then finds somewhere else to live... or does he?!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So hopefully with Draco's side of it you'll understand his reactions from the scene with Harry more, especially when he talks to Blaise about it.  
> Lots of family drama in this chapter. Poor Daphne and poor Draco :(
> 
> We get to see more of Blaise's serious side and learn more about him as I thought that was important.  
> Blaise is kind of the hero here <3

Draco couldn’t wake up on Monday morning because he hadn’t slept all night. He was angry, heartbroken, ashamed, confused, anxious, tired and hungry, so fucking hungry. His last meal had been out with Harry and Blaise on Saturday night, he hadn’t had anything at all on Sunday. Somehow because he had been awake for a lot more hours than usual it felt like even longer since he last ate. 

After Harry left yesterday he’d broken down and cried in his room for hours like a pathetic baby and he hated himself for it afterwards. It was hardly the first time he’d cried in secret, he’d always been emotional but he’d been trained not to be and he could always hear his father’s voice in his head every single time, “Malfoy men don’t cry”. 

He’d cried because everything had just suddenly become overwhelming and that was what he did when he didn’t know how to cope with his emotions. He’d cried because he’d been trying so hard to pretend he didn’t hate where he lived, that it didn’t depress him but when he’d seen the look of horror on Harry’s face he’d felt so ashamed, so embarrassed and now he hated this place more than ever. He’d cried because he felt so pathetic about not being able to feed himself and he knew he should have asked for help before now but he’d been too damn proud and stubborn and now he didn’t know what to do. But most of all he cried because he’d just had one of the best weeks of his life and now it was all ruined. 

After the tears the anger had come back again and he lashed out at everything around him. Now his flat looked like it had been the scene of a battle. He had burnt, smashed and obliterated everything in sight with his wand, his hands, his feet just anything he could. The only thing still intact was his wardrobe as he was sensible enough not to destroy the few precious clothes he did have, but he no longer had a bed so even if he’d felt like sleeping he couldn’t. He wasn’t sure what had possessed him to do it. He had barely earned enough to buy himself some nice new things for his home but now he’d have to replace what little furniture that had been here. They were beyond repair as half of them had bits that had been ‘incendio-ed’ so the remaining pieces no longer fitted together completely.

The only thing that stopped him from burning the entire building to the ground was thinking of the beautiful shop downstairs. That space was still his and something he could be proud of, it was only that thought that kept him going that night. Suddenly he’d felt like all the effort he’d gone into over the last month trying to convince himself and others he was OK had just been exhausting and he was too tired to put up with it anymore. He was not OK, not by any stretch of the imagination and he was too tired to pretend otherwise now. He needed help.

That morning he didn’t even have the energy to shower, he just cast some freshening charms on himself and got changed into his grey joggers and long-sleeved black top with trainers. At least he didn’t need to look good for customers today. In his anger he’d also destroyed all the coffee bits that Harry had got him and the pathetic little bits of bread and pastries he had left. He was regretting that decision now. Daphne would know straight away when she came in that something was wrong but he didn’t care, he wouldn’t pretend and he didn’t want to push away the only two people he had left in his life now, Blaise and Daphne.

At half 8 there was a knock on the back door. That was strange, Daphne always got here at ten to nine on the dot, why was she early? Unless it wasn’t her? But Blaise never stopped by randomly anymore, they usually met at his and there was no one else it could be… Unless… no surely not? Harry wouldn’t come back would he? 

He got up and wandered to the back door, pausing like he always did to try and identify who was outside. Except hard magic like this didn’t work when he was tired, everything seemed fuzzy to him this morning, he felt weak, vulnerable, he didn’t like it and he didn’t want to open the door to someone who he didn’t feel safe with.

Just then relief flooded through him as a familiar deep smooth masculine voice came through the door.

“It’s Blaise.” Said the voice.

Draco opened the door and Blaise stepped in. Before Draco even knew why he just crumbled into Blaise’s arms.

“Woah, Merlin, Draco what’s wrong?” Blaise said wrapping his arms around Draco and practically held him up as Draco felt too exhausted to even stand.

“Tired, hungry, need help.” Draco mumbled into Blaise’s shoulder.

“OK. OK” Blaise repeatedly slowly as he soothed Draco running his hand firmly up and down his back. “That’s OK, Draco, I can help you, we can get you some food and you can rest, it's OK…. Let’s go upstairs.”

“No, not upstairs… please.” Draco pleaded still talking incoherently into Blaise’s embrace. “Everything gone, Blaise, everything destroyed, I can’t… I can’t go up…”

“What do you mean? What’s gone? Who destroyed it, Draco?” Blaise questioned but in a soothing tone still. 

“Me, I did.” Draco said simply.

“You... What? Why?... What happened Drake?” Blaise asked gently using his little nickname for Draco. 

“I’ll tell you later. Need food and sleep and then I’ll tell you.” Draco said a bit more coherently and holding his own weight against his friend now, slowly pulling away from him.

“OK.” Blaise said again and nodded.

Draco stepped back and frowned remembering what was going on. “Why are you here anyway?”

A slight sad worried look came through Blaise’s face and he seemed serious this morning. “Erm, well it’s about Daphne-”

“What? Where is she? Is she OK?” Draco said quickly, suddenly forgetting all his own problems.

“She’s fine Draco, it’s not her don’t worry.” Blaise answered hurriedly. “Her mum just sent an owl, it’s her Grandmother. She died in the night so Daphne hurried back home. She was worried about you though and the shop so I told her I’d come and take care of it.”

“Oh.” Draco said digesting this news. “No of course, she needs to be with her family… poor Daphne… The shop doesn’t matter for one day, let’s just leave it.”

Blaise paused for a minute and looked at Draco. “Well I was going to offer to run the shop floor for you today but it looks like you might need me more…” He trailed off.

“You were going to run the shop?” For me?” Draco said slowly.

“Of course Draco. I know how important the business is for you and I know you can’t run it yourself or trust anyone else to so…” Blaise shrugged casually and then hesitated before deciding to add something else. “I’d do anything for you Draco, don’t you know that? You’re my best friend.”

“I thought Daphne was your best friend.” Draco said simply. He knew really that Blaise and Daphne loved him but the two of them had been best friends for a lot longer than they’d been friends with him and sometimes he still felt slightly on the outside.

Blaise gave a tiny little laugh and shook his head sadly. “You both are you idiot, it’s the three of us against the world right?” He said, giving Draco a small smile.

Draco smiled back at him and nodded in acceptance. “What about your business?” He asked after a minute.

Blaise shrugged again. “I sent some instructions to Harper, nothing too difficult for him so I’m sure he can’t fuck this up too badly. I’ve had to rearrange some meetings but I’ll make it up to those clients next week with a posh dinner or something, it’s all good.”

“So I think we need to take care of you now.” Blaise said kindly but stubbornly. “You sure you’re OK to close the shop for a day? We could always ask one of the Weasley twins if they have a spare staff member?”

Draco shook his head quickly. “No. No we can’t- I- they- we-” He sighed and took a moment to gather his thoughts. When he spoke it was in a small, sad voice. “They’re Harry’s friends, they’ll hate me now. I think our business partnership is probably over.”

Blaise looked surprised for a moment and then sighed. “So that’s what this is all about? You had a fight with Harry?”

Draco didn’t say anything but he just gave another small nod.

Blaise took a deep breath. “Right.” He said simply and then seemed to jump into action. “I’m going to go put a sign in the shop door to say you’re closed today for personal reasons and then we’re going to go back to mine OK? We’ll get a good breakfast in you and then you can sleep. After that we’ll talk, you’ll tell me everything that happened and then we can work out a plan.”

“Yeah… OK.” Draco agreed. “Then we’ll check on Daphne.”

“Then we’ll check on Daphne.” Blaise repeated in agreement. 

Blaise went into the shop to put the sign in the door and check the security. Draco stood awkwardly in the hallway for a moment before making a decision. He’d already admitted he needed help, Blaise was here, he was his best friend and he said he’d do anything for Draco. Draco believed him and knew in that second that he would be OK as long as he made the right decision now to trust in his friend and ask for what he needed. He couldn’t go on like this, he needed to learn it was OK to rely on other people sometimes and to put himself first.

He summoned an empty box from the open storage and packaging room next to him. Then he took the last ounce of energy he had and quickly ran upstairs, not looking at his surroundings at all but just summoning his last few remaining possessions from the bathroom and the wardrobe. He didn’t give his flat another look. If he had it his way he wouldn’t be back here. When he got back in the hallway downstairs with his box, he sealed the door that led upstairs with a high security lock that only he could open. 

Blaise was waiting for him by the backdoor. He looked at the box Draco was holding but didn’t say anything. Suddenly Draco got nervous but then Blaise gave him a small smile.

“Er, look I know you have Daphne staying and I don’t want to be a pain but I- I- I can’t be here Blaise. Your sofa will still be more comfortable than my mattress here… Can I stay just for a bit? I’ll sort something else out I promise but-” Draco stuttered out uncharacteristically before Blaise interrupted him.

“Of course you can stay.” Blaise said fondly. “I don’t know if Daph will still want to stay now. She might want to go back home, it was only supposed to be temporary, then you can have the spare room. If she does still want to live with me then we’ll sort something out. I can always start looking for a three bed place.” He finished casually. 

Draco swallowed and gave Blaise a weak, grateful smile.

“Come on then Drake. Let's go home.” He said with his signature flirty smile.

“I still hate that name.” Draco insisted.

“Yeah but you love me though so I can get away with it.” Blaise bit back cheekily. 

“Maybe.” Was Draco’s quiet response.

*~*

Blaise had never learnt how to cook either and kept very little ingredients in his cupboards but he definitely was not short on money and knew all the good places to go in both muggle and wizarding London. He did also have a fancy wizarding coffee machine that would make anything you ordered for you so he settled Draco on the sofa with a coffee whilst he went to get some breakfast.

Draco still liked the coffee but he felt a pang in his heart now as coffee reminded him so much of Harry. He couldn’t believe it had been less than a week since the man had made him the best coffee he’d ever had. Now he wondered whether he’d ever have coffee with Harry again. 

Blaise flooed back in from the Leaky Cauldron thirty minutes later with a complete fry up for Draco. It wasn’t somewhere that they usually went for food as they all had slightly more refined palettes but somehow Blaise seemed to just know that this was a day where Draco wouldn’t object to greasy fried comfort food. Draco ate every last mouthful and had to admit that he felt better after it. Blaise insisted he went to lie down on his bed and it was so nice to lie on the luxurious silk sheets. The mattress felt heavenly underneath him and there was not a lump in sight. He sunk into it very comfortably and drifted off to sleep.

It was about mid afternoon when he woke up feeling slightly hungry again and still a little tired but much better and stronger than before. He was so grateful to have Blaise in his life and he realised that asking for help didn’t feel weak to him now, he didn’t regret it. Blaise had never laughed at him, or judged him or rejected him. It took Draco far too long to realise that and he was ashamed for not accepting his help before. He just didn’t want to feel like a burden to him.

Having slept in his boxers, he now slipped his joggers and top back on and headed in the direction of the sitting room where he could hear Blaise’s voice.

“-yeah OK. I will, I think he’s up now..”

“... sure, call me later if you can. Love to you and your family. Bye.”

Draco made his way into the room just as the flames went out in the fire and Blaise was standing up.

“Was that Daphne?” He asked.

“Yeah.” Blaise answered simply.

“How is she?” Draco asked quietly.

Blaise sighed and looked sad. “She’s OK, she’s strong you know but it sounds like the rest of her family aren’t coping well and I’m worried she’s staying strong for them and will just break later.”

Draco nodded. “Yeah that sounds like Daphne… Do they know how her Grandmother died yet?”

“It seems like her heart just stopped beating in the night while she slept. They’re not too sure yet but they think she might have had a weak heart for a while but just no one knew about it. I dunno if she just didn’t tell anyone how she was feeling or if she just didn’t really notice her own symptoms… If they’d known they probably could have healed her but now it’s too late.” Blaise said sadly. “She was a lovely woman, really sweet. She was always nice to me whenever I went over.”

“Yeah, I only met her a couple of times but she seemed like a good person, she was even kind to me. I think she understood my situation better than Mr and Mrs Greengrass. I always thought Daphne seemed like her Grandmother.” Draco added walking over to give Blaise a hug.

The two men hugged for the second time that day when they never usually did. It was only brief though. Draco went to sit over on the sofa and Blaise sunk into the nearby armchair. 

“I’ve never heard you tell Daphne you love her before.” Draco said after a minute.

Blaise just shrugged. “Just seemed like the day to say it I guess even though she knows I do… I love both of you. You’re my family. I don’t see my real family really… just the odd holiday to Italy but they’re not too bothered about me so…”

Draco hadn’t really seen Blaise like this before. The man was sometimes serious and sometimes quiet but there was still always an undercurrent of wit and sarcasm there. Today he seemed thoughtful and sad with no jokes up his sleeve or the confident carefree attitude that he usually had.

“You’re getting soft on me Blaise.” Draco said in a jokey but fond sort of way.

“Yeah, I know. Sorry. It won’t last I promise.” Blaise said, smiling slightly.

Draco shrugged. “It’s OK.” He smiled. 

He hesitated slightly and took a deep breath. “You know I’m not good at the emotional stuff and I find it hard to say it… but you know I feel the same way right?... About you and Daphne… You’re my family too… and thank you, for helping me.” He sighed. “I’m sorry for being such a burden though.”

“You’re not a burden Draco. I want to help you.” Blaise sighed too. “I’ve tried not to push, I tried to just sit back and let you figure stuff out because I know you’re stubborn and independent but do you have any idea how frustrating it is for me to be in the position to help you and know that I can’t unless you ask me for it. I’m really glad you finally have, you idiot.”

“I just- I want to bring something to this friendship too, I don’t want to just take and not give you anything back.” Draco said being more honest with Blaise than he had been in a while.

“Draco, you give me plenty back. It’s pretty lonely here sometimes you know. I actually kind of hoped you would move in ages ago when you talked about leaving the Manor. I thought we could have some fun together but then you started talking about how you were looking forward to living in your own place and starting your own life properly so I didn’t say anything. It’s actually been really nice having Daphne here this week.” Blaise gave a small little smile again.

He took a breath before carrying on. It was the most Draco had heard him say in ages. “Also it’s depressing to have all this money and no one to spend it on. You and Daphne, you give my life meaning. Without you I’d just be a rich bachelor taking older richer guys out for dinner all the time trying to convince them to make me even more rich. It’s not always that fulfilling… Plus you really do make the best products and being able to get them for free is a massive bonus.” 

By the end of his little monologue Blaise’s cheeky smile was back in place and Draco found himself smiling back properly at him again.

“Well I dunno, if you really want someone to spend your money on then maybe I should start charging you for them.” Draco said, pretending to be annoyed.

Blaise laughed. “Alright send me the bill.”

They sat there for a moment longer before Blaise got up and went over to his flashy little kitchen area. He opened the cupboard and plated something up before sending it over to Draco along with a glass of something.

When they reached Draco he smiled. “You got chocolate eclairs?” He asked.

“Of course.” Blaise replied. “Popped out to get them while you were sleeping. Also drink up, that’s fortified pumpkin juice, got loads of vitamins and minerals in so should keep you going for a bit but we are having a proper three course dinner tonight. We need to start putting some meat back on those bones of yours.”

“Yes sir.” Draco replied.

“Hmm call me that in bed and I’ll buy you chocolate eclairs every day.” Blaise said with his confident flirty attitude firmly back in place now.

“See this is exactly why I didn’t want to live with you.” Draco said sarcastically. “It’s unfair for you to have to see my sexy body everyday and know that you’ll never have me like that. I feel sorry for you pining after me.”

Blaise laughed as Draco tucked into his eclair and waited until he’d eaten it all (which didn’t take long) before looking at him slightly seriously again.

“I’m guessing I know someone who will be pining after you today… Want to tell me what happened?” He asked gently.

Draco groaned and put down his empty plate on the coffee table. “No not really but I will anyway.”

“I’m listening and we have time.” Blaise said softly before settling back in his armchair.

Draco took a deep breath and started speaking.

“Harry came over yesterday. I hadn’t exactly invited him but we did agree that we would meet up. I was just going to floo call him when I finished brewing but in his defence it was a bit foolish of us to have not communicated a clear plan really… Apparently he tried to floo call me in the afternoon but I didn’t hear it as I was downstairs so he came round. I was annoyed at first, you know how I am when people just turn up, but he looked at me with those bloody beautiful eyes of his and said he was worried about me or something so I didn’t have it in me to be cross with him. Still I won’t deny that it did put me on edge slightly, I just assumed that I would go to his again but maybe that was a bit unfair of me and I never specifically told him that he couldn’t come round. I guess he thought he’d welcomed me into his home when he rarely does that to anyone so maybe we were at that stage or something…”

He trailed off awkwardly and gathered his thoughts again. 

“Anyway I said I needed ten more minutes to finish off and said he should wait in the office… I was trying to think to myself exactly how I said it afterwards but I can’t really remember if it sounded more like a suggestion or an order… Maybe it’s my fault, maybe I should have been clearer. He had a bottle of wine in his hands, I guess I should have known from that but I just said that we’d make a plan. I never specifically said he couldn’t go upstairs and I never actually said I’d rather we go to his…” Draco was looking down in his lap anxiously and rubbing the spot on his finger where his ring used to sit again. 

“So I’m guessing he went upstairs then?” Blaise asked.

Draco just nodded but Blaise still looked like he didn’t understand.

“So what’s the big deal? I mean I know it’s not the most welcoming of places but Daphne and I have been up there and you said it was looking better now?” He said, confused.

“Yeah… I lied.” Draco stated. 

“What do you mean?” Blaise asked, frowning.

“Well you and Daphne haven’t been up there since the first day the shop opened and we all had breakfast together.” Draco explained. “A couple of times when one of you has brought up the flat I gave the impression that I’d done it up a bit and that it wasn't that bad… I don’t really know why but I just didn’t want you to pity me. I didn’t want you to know how much I hate it and how as time has gone on I spend less and less time in there as it depresses me so much. It’s one of the reasons why I work in the evenings now too, just to stay downstairs where I actually don’t mind being and to just keep myself busy. I even do my yoga in the cellar now I basically just use the flat to sleep and shower but my mattress is so lumpy that I barely sleep and my shower is so weak that I barely feel clean.”

“Merlin, Draco I didn’t know it was that bad.” Blaise said, looking guilty.

“Don’t blame yourself.” Draco warned. “It’s not your fault, I chose not to tell you and I’m grateful that you didn’t push me on it. I don’t respond well when people push into my privacy like that, as I demonstrated yesterday…”

“Oh dear.” Blaise said dramatically. “Go on then, what did you do when you found Harry upstairs. Please tell me he’s still alive because if you’ve killed the Saviour I’m not sure if the wizarding world will ever forgive you.”

“Of course he’s still alive you prat.” Draco snapped. “I didn’t even hex him but I- well… I did yell at him and tell him to get out and never come back… and I may have told him that I didn't want anything to do with his book and that our whole ‘thing’, whatever it was, was a mistake.”

“Right OK.” Blaise said clearly thinking things through. “What was Harry doing when you were yelling at him? Was he yelling back or was he trying to explain himself?”

“He never raised his voice at me once.” Draco said flatly. “He was explaining himself, begging me to understand… He said he was only trying to do something nice for me, that he was worried I worked too hard and didn’t eat. He said he wanted to find some glasses for the wine and thought he’d surprise me by cooking me dinner.”

“Oh.” Blaise said simply.

Draco’s voice was quiet and sad. “Yeah. I’m a right bastard aren’t I? I honestly do think he was just trying to be nice… I’m such an idiot Blaise. I have Harry bloody Potter, a man that I fancy more than I’ve ever fancied anyone in my life, coming round to check on me because he was worried, bringing me wine and then trying to surprise me by cooking me dinner and I drive him away with my stupid defensive anger. I mean seriously? How many people in this country would kill to be in my position? I bet they wouldn’t tell him to fuck off.”

Draco looked at Blaise to try and gauge a reaction. “It’s bad right?” He asked.

Blaise hesitated. “I mean… It doesn’t sound great, I'm not going to lie.” He said slowly. “But Draco… why did you get so angry?”

Draco swallowed trying to fight back the tears that were threatening to spill over again. “I don’t even know why… I guess I was just scared really. I’ve always been a coward. I just didn’t want him of all people to see how I was living. I- I wanted to impress him. I wanted to show him that I’m- that I’m worth something. That I’m a self-sufficient business man who has made something good from his life… I thought if he saw how I was living he’d see how worthless I am, how pathetic and useless I am that I can’t even feed myself because I don’t know how to cook or where to even shop and that I’m secretly poor…” 

Draco sighed and put his head in his hands. “Oh well, it was always too good to be true anyway. Maybe it’s best to end it this way before anything really got started. I don’t think I could bear to lose him once I knew what it was like to actually have him.”

When Draco next looked up at Blaise he was surprised to find him smiling.

“What are you smiling at? Did you not hear me say I told the man of my dreams to fuck off out of my life for good?” Draco snapped.

“Oh so he’s the man of your dreams now is he?” Blaise said, clearly still amused which just annoyed Draco further.

“Well men don’t really get much better that Harry Potter.” Draco said bitterly. “I really thought he might fancy me back, there was a glimmer of hope and now it’s gone. No one else will ever compare to him so be prepared to get stuck with me for the rest of our miserable bachelor lives.”

“Oh stop being so dramatic. It will be fine.” Blaise said sitting up.

Draco frowned at him. “How?”

Blaise leaned forward in his chair and looked at Draco. “Draco, it’s Harry Potter.” He paused for effect and then carried on. “Tell me, what did he do at school every single time anyone told him he couldn’t do something?”

Draco blinked in slight surprise but answered instinctively. “He did it anyway.”

“Exactly.” Blaise said satisfied. “He did it anyway. So you think he’d listen if the guy he likes tells him once to leave him alone?”

Blaise sat back in his chair again and spoke confidently. “I always thought you were the most stubborn person I knew but you might have met your match with Harry. You can’t vanquish a dark Lord at 17 without a fuck ton of determination. Winning you back is hardly the most difficult thing he’s faced and he won’t back down from a challenge. You really think after one fight he’s just going to give up and walk away?”

“Well he might do if he thinks I’m not worth the effort.” Draco shrugged resentfully. “Maybe he’s sick of fighting to get what he wants. Maybe he just wants to settle down with a nice kind young man who will treat him well and not push him away the moment things get difficult.”

Blaise didn’t seem discouraged. “He is a fighter though, it’s in his nature. He’ll always fight for those he cares about, it's just who he is and he cares about you Draco, I know he does. I’ve seen the way he looks at you.”

Draco was quiet for a moment, just thinking. There was some truth to Blaise’s words but he was scared to be hopeful.

“Do you really think I still have a chance with him?” He asked in barely a whisper.

“I absolutely do.” Blaise said stubbornly. “To be honest I think we expected some kind of fight between you too at some point. We thought it might be after you got together though. Like maybe you’d get together but then break up after your first fight but then realise you were both two stupid idiots who were made for each other and then get back together or something. Didn’t think it would happen this soon but it was kind of inevitable.” 

“So what do I do?” Draco said, his voice still quiet and disbelieving.

Blaise answered it with a question of his own though. “What was the worst thing you said to him?”

Draco hesitated. “I may have called him a pathetic alcoholic mess or something to that effect.”

To Draco’s surprise Blaise actually laughed. “Well from what I’ve seen that’s not entirely a lie really, maybe he needed to hear that. Coming from you it will probably shake him up a bit, help him get his priorities in order.”

“So I just apologise or something?” Draco question full of uncertainty.

“Yes, an apology would be a good place to start.” Blaise said. “But it needs to be a full, sincere apology. You need to explain to him why you acted like that. Tell him, in the same way you’ve told me, how it made you feel when you found him upstairs and why. He’ll understand and he’ll forgive you if you’re open and honest with him.”

“Sounds terrifying.” Draco mumbled.

Blaise gave a small low chuckle. “Yes, well relationships are terrifying Draco. Why do you think I’m not in one?”

“Do you think it’s worth the hassle?” Draco said only half joking.

Blaise raised one eyebrow at him and gave him a knowing look. “The question is do you think Harry is worth the hassle?”

Draco hesitated but only slightly. He knew what the answer to that was really, he’d always known. “Yes, I very much think he could be.”

“Then get him back.” Was Blaise’s simple response.

“I will.”

*~*

Harry, as it turned out, had seen the shop was closed, panicked and had written to both Daphne and Blaise to check if Draco was OK. It warmed Draco’s heart to know that Harry still cared about his safety after their stupid misunderstanding and it gave him some hope that Harry would forgive him. He was grateful that Harry was giving him space by not writing to him directly but hoped it didn’t mean that Harry wouldn’t want to see him or hear from him ever again.

Daphne had replied briefly explaining that she couldn’t run the shop due to a family emergency and that Draco was with Blaise but she hadn’t known the details of their fight at that point. Blaise had also replied to Harry telling him not to worry and that Draco was safe with him but hadn’t given details either. Of course neither of Draco’s friends told him this until late on Monday. 

Daphne had returned to Blaise’s apartment Monday night saying she couldn’t stay at home any longer. Blaise’s suspicion that she was being strong for her family was bang on and she needed a place where she could come and release her emotions away from her stressful family dynamic. She felt guilty as her mum had asked her to stay home but she knew that if she did she'd end up snapping at her sister and saying something she regretted. Astoria was being a bit of a princess at the moment bringing everything back to her wedding saying that the wedding had still better go ahead despite the family’s mourning period. This had resulted in a bit of an argument between her mother and her sister with Daphne's dad running away from it all and Daphne being forced to play the mediator.

So that’s how Draco had ended up sharing a bed with Blaise. He had tried to sleep on the sofa of course but Blaise wouldn’t hear of it and threatened to stun Draco and tie him to his bed frame if Draco didn’t come willingly. Draco had no doubt that Blaise knew how to secure someone to his bed and did not fancy being on the receiving end of that so in the end he’d relented. Blaise had made several jokes about it of course but Draco knew that was just his flirty sense of humour. The bed was plenty big enough for the both of them and they both kept their pyjamas firmly on and their hands to themselves. Draco had to admit it was nice to not sleep alone and that combined with the fact that the bed was so damn comfortable meant that he had the best sleep he’d had in ages.

Tuesday morning Draco tried to convince Daphne to take another day off but she was almost as stubborn as him and in the end he only agreed because she insisted that she honestly would welcome the distraction. He had to admit that he was very grateful to her and more than a little relieved as he actually had appointments with clients today who still wanted bespoke commissions and he was a bit behind on his paperwork. A day in the office as Pierre was also just what he needed to escape Draco’s brain for a bit. Even though he had agreed to apologise to Harry and try to get their friendship back on track at the very least, he still needed to figure out how and when.

Draco had to admit that starting the day having a proper breakfast with Daphne and Blaise was really nice. He could easily get used to this but he also knew that the three of them living at Blaise’s two bedroom penthouse wasn’t a long-term solution. Maybe Daphne would move back home once the wedding was over. Her house would be a lot calmer, Astoria would be living at her new home with Ernie and he knew that Daphne did love her house and the surrounding area. Although Daphne did seem to enjoy the working city life away from her parents so maybe after experiencing some independence she wouldn’t want to move back in with them.

Most of the day was the same as any other Tuesday. Draco’s meetings went well in the morning. The bespoke perfumes were really taking off and rapidly becoming his signature product which he was pleased about because not only did he like making them, he could also charge a lot for them even though they didn’t take much time to make. He’d lost a whole brewing day yesterday so his stock in the shop was running a little low but he was on top of his owl orders and his bespoke gifts so that was the main thing. Daphne just made a note on anything running low in the shop and Draco said he’d make his priority tomorrow as well as the new orders that had come in today.

Daphne popped back to her house on her lunch break to quickly check in with them and she asked her house elf to make up some simple sandwiches for her to take back which she shared with Draco. Draco was under strict instructions from both Blaise and Daphne to have three meals a day from now on and he knew they wouldn’t let him get away with anything less. He also decided he’d still keep up with his daily sustenance potions for now until he was at a healthy weight. He still felt a little weak and a little tired which scared him. He didn’t think he’d been that bad but now he’d been smacked in the face with the truth he realised that he might have been on the edge of dangerously malnourished. Blaise worked through lunch to make up for missing work yesterday so he didn’t join them but Draco found it nice to realise he’d be seeing him again later. He felt so much better during his working day knowing he had somewhere else to go to and spend the night, it just helped him feel less trapped. 

He was still concerned that he’d lost Harry for good and the thought did scare him more than he cared to admit but he also knew that as long as he had Blaise, Daphne and his business that he would be OK. He also still felt bad about relying on his friends so much but he was determined to work hard, save money and then treat them when he could. He also decided that he really wanted to learn to cook. Between his friends, they’d all have a privileged upbringing and have never needed to cook but he realised how that was a bit of an oversight. If he ever did have children he’d make sure they learnt how to cook and do things for themselves even if they were lucky enough to have house elves.

Realistically he knew Blaise would probably still pay for the ingredients for now but at least if Draco knew how to cook he could prepare them and make something nice for his friends. He made a mental note to check out Flourish and Blotts on Thursday lunchtime as Pierre to get some cookery books. He could afford a few books, he’d reach them and learn and then hopefully ask Harry where that wizarding food market was once they were on speaking terms again. All in all he felt hopeful for his future now. He’d made a lot of mistakes in the last month but being honest with Blaise and Daphne and admitted he needed help wasn’t one of them. Even the one open and honest conversation with Harry and made him feel better and stronger as a person so at the very least, even if they never spoke again, Draco was learning that trusting people and being open about his feelings could be a good thing.

Really, he should have known that the day was going too well and something else bad was bound to happen. 

At four o’clock Draco had just finished his appointments for the day and was just transforming his facial features back into his own when Daphne came into his office looking worried about something. She didn’t even sit down like she usually did she just hovered by his desk for a minute until he looked up. Immediately when he saw her face he knew something was wrong.

“What is it? What’s happened?” He said quickly, willing himself to stay calm.

She got straight to the point. “Your mother was just here.” 

Draco was shocked, too shocked to even react; he just sat stunned into silence behind his desk. He had a range of different thoughts and emotions running through his head at once that he didn’t know which one to express or prioritise. Part of him was happy to know that his mother was at least physically OK but part of him was sad that she had been so close to him yet he still couldn’t see her. The son in him always missed her as much as he tried to ignore the feeling. Mostly though was worried about what this might mean. He knew full well that his mother could not leave the Manor without Lucius knowing exactly where she was going and why. She would also be under a thorough questioning when she got back.

Daphne was looking at him even more worried now. “Draco, darling did you hear me?”

“Yes Daphne, I heard you.” Draco said simply, still not moving.

“Well you haven’t reacted… you’re scaring me. I expected you to shout or panic or something.” She said.

Draco still didn’t respond straight away. He was willing himself to think logically and smartly; to stay one step ahead of Lucius. Panicking wouldn’t help. Deep down he realised now that he expected something like this even if he hadn’t consciously thought about it or planned for it.

“Did she have a proper look around? Did she read any of the labels?” He asked calmly.

Daphne nodded slowly. “Yes. I was in the middle of totalling up an order with a customer when I noticed her come in but I couldn’t leave the customer I was dealing with and I didn’t want to show any sign of being flustered. I didn’t want her to think I had a reason to worry about her visit. So while I was finishing up with the lady in front of her she had plenty of time to have a good browse. I was keeping half an eye on her, she looked at everything Draco, everything.”

“Of course… You did the right thing.” Draco said slowly.

He thought for another second and then stood up quickly finally springing into action. “You’ll have to tell me all the details later but now we need to leave. She’ll know. She’ll recognise my handwriting at the very least. I’m stupid for not thinking about that. She might be telling Lucius right now and we can’t predict what he’ll do. I don’t think he would rush straight round here. I think he’ll want time to form a proper plan and if he does come he’ll come when the shop is closed but we should get out of here now just in case.”

Daphne nodded again. “I thought you’d say that. I’ve already closed the shop. It’s as secure as it’s ever been. Let’s go back to Blaise’s and we can sort something out.”

Draco agreed and as quick as a flash they were out the door and back in the comfort of Blaise’s sitting room. It was then that Draco started to worry as the reality of his situation set in. He started nervously pacing but still managed to keep relatively calm. 

“Right so tell me exactly what she said please. Word for word and paint the picture for me, her tone, her body language everything.” Draco said sternly to Daphne whilst still trying to be kind to her.

Daphne told him everything from the beginning to end remembering every detail. Draco was well practised at reading his Mother and trying to find Lucius’s words in what she said and did. When Daphne had finished he sat down on the sofa with his head in hands.

“Fuck Daphne.” He said quietly after she’d been quiet for a moment. “Why is it that everything I allow myself to feel safe and happy, Lucius does something to remind me that he’s still watching my every move and controlling my life.”

“You are safe Draco.” Daphne said firmly. “You’re here with us now and we won’t ever let you be alone.”

“But you must see that I can’t stay here now Daphne.” Draco said flatly, defeated.

“What do you mea-” Daphne started but she was cut off by the floo activating.

Blaise stepped into his sitting room and then seemed surprised to see them already here, normally the shop wouldn’t have closed yet but clearly he’d managed to get off a bit early which wasn’t unusual for him when he was in control of his own meetings and worked through lunch.

He stopped and took in the scene before him. “OK what have I missed?” He asked carefully.

Daphne looked at Draco and hesitated but when he didn’t speak she answered Blaise’s question. 

“Narcissa turned up at the shop and took a good look around. Draco thinks she will recognise his handwriting on the labels and likely other things too. She was asking me all sorts of questions about the new shop, the business, the flat upstairs, who Pierre was, my life now and how I got this job, also why I was working. She asked after Draco of course and you. We left the shop early, we haven’t quite figured out what to do. I said that we wouldn’t leave Draco alone now that he’s here with us but he just said he couldn’t stay here.” Daphne summarised quickly for Blaise’s benefit.

“Why can’t you stay here?” Blaise asked Draco.

Draco sighed and explained it all calmly. 

“Don’t you see? Lucius will know where I work now. That is something that we’ll have to deal with but I don’t think he’ll make a scene during business hours so I’ll just have to not be in the building when the shop is closed. He cannot under any circumstance find out where I live. He knows we’re friends Blaise and he’ll be expecting me to be here, it’s the obvious choice seeing as he saw you help me leave the Manor. No offence but your security here is appalling. Your floo is registered with the Ministry not to mention your business is literally your name and is registered to this address too. Plus half of the wizards and witches in England have shared your bed…”

He looked up to check Blaise wasn’t offended but Blaise nodded his head in acceptance indicating that Draco’s words were true. So Draco carried on.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if Lucius already knows where you live Blaise. It’s been over a month since I moved out. He’s had time to investigate, he might know where we are right now… he might already have a plan. I’m really sorry, I know we could cut off the floo and add protection charms and all that but I still just don’t think I’ll be happy to spend another night here and I don’t think you should either. If he can get to you and use you against me or to find me then he will.”

Daphne opened her mouth to protest but Blaise cut her off with his sensible voice of reason. 

“He’s right Daphne. It’s not safe here.” He said quietly.

“Well then come to mine.” Daphne said. “We have guest rooms, or we can even all live in the dowager house now.”

Draco was shaking his head sadly. “No Daphne, I can't, I'm sorry.”

“Why not?” Daphne asked stubbornly.

“Aside from the fact that your parents still hate me, plus they’re in mourning and in the middle of planning a wedding?” Draco asked with a sceptical look. 

“That won’t matter.” Daphne argued. “They might not be happy about it but they’ll listen to me if I say that you’re in danger and I need to keep you safe. They’re not monsters, Draco.”

“It’s still an obvious choice though you can’t deny that.” Draco insisted. “I was counting on the fact that Lucius would think we wouldn’t want anything to do with each other after we supposedly split up but if he knows about us working together then he’ll know that we’re friends or at least still in touch and he might expect you to be helping me. He might even suspect that we are still together in private or something. I know your place is more secure than here but he still knows the address and he’s been to the property. You guys might be safer there though with the anti-disapparition jinx, especially if you cut off the floo and it will be good for you to remain together and not be alone.”

“I hate to say it but I do agree.” Blaise said.

“Well where are we going to go then?” Daphne asked, sounding more worried than she usually let on.

Blaise thought for a moment and Draco was thinking too. He started to form a plan but Blaise got there first. 

“I’ll buy somewhere else.” He suggested simply. “I’ll buy somewhere new for the three of us. We can arrange it all in a new name, I’ll get a separate vault and everything. Then we can set up every security measure known to man.”

Daphne was nodding enthusiastically but Draco knew better.

“I’m grateful Blaise, I am, it’s a good idea and it is a possibility for a long-term plan if we can’t deal with Lucius but that would take weeks if not months. You know how long it took us to sort out the Diagon Alley building.” Draco said sensibly.

Blaise sighed as he knew realistically that Draco was right. Daphne looked crushed too not knowing what else to suggest.

Draco waited for another moment until he was sure of himself and then spoke up.

“I know where I can go.” He said quietly.

Blaise and Daphne looked at him eagerly in anticipation.

“It’s the last person anyone in the wizarding world would expect me to live with. The last person I would normally ask for help but someone who is every bit as paranoid about security as me and possibly has the most secure house in Britain. He also happens to be best friends with the head Auror… not to mention the fact that he technically has already asked me to move in with him.”

“What?!” Daphne exclaimed with wide eyes. “Why didn’t you tell us that?!”

Draco was looking at Blaise though for his reaction. The man was quiet for a second, thinking, and then broke out into a small sly smile.

“That’s perfect.” He said simply.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So who do you think Draco's going to live with now?!  
> Will Harry take in him do you think?!  
> And what with Lucius do with the information Narcissa gives him?  
> Also will they ever get a chance to work on this damn book when there is so much going on in their lives at the moment?!
> 
> Only time will tell... 
> 
> (well and me... I could also tell you! But I'm not going to!)


	19. Harry: Tuesday 11th October

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Draco comes to Harry to apologise and ask for his help.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for not posting yesterday, I was having some family time!  
> Finished this chapter today so hope you like it!  
> *~*  
> So Harry is a forgiving guy and Draco has realised that he overreacted massively.  
> They both really do want to be in each other's lives anyway but Draco has admitted that he needs Harry right now.  
> They chat things over at Grimmauld Place and things might go a little easier than maybe some of you are expecting but I hope that seems realistic with the way I've written it.  
> Things in their lives are a bit up and down obviously and I'm not saying it's going to be perfect from here on in but just thought I'd let you know that I don't really like stories with huge long periods of angst so don't expect that from me. My style is more 'shit happens' but then 'we can fix this, it will be OK' kind of moments!

Monday and Tuesday were not good days for Harry; he’d always been useless at sitting around and waiting but he was trying to give Draco space. He had already pushed into his life too much too fast if he had any hope of getting Draco to trust and open up to him again he needed to show that he could respect his boundaries. That was easier said than done though when all Harry wanted to do was to go round there and speak to him. 

He kept thinking over the events of Sunday again and again wondering what would have happened if he’d just waited until Draco called him like a normal person or stayed in Draco’s office like he’d been asked. He was such an idiot sometimes, he just hoped that he hadn’t ruined it for good. After he’d seen the shop was closed yesterday he so desperately wanted to contact Draco but he was worried that Draco was still angry at him and that he wouldn’t respond well to being contacted so soon. Harry couldn’t just do nothing though so he wrote two copies of the same letter and sent one to Daphne and one to Blaise using the spare owls at Fred and George’s. 

Apparently Daphne had a family emergency which is why the shop was closed. Harry obviously was concerned for Daphne, she was his friend too but he couldn’t deny he was grateful to hear Draco wasn’t the reason why the business couldn’t open, or least he wasn’t the only reason. He must have been slightly worse for wear still though as Blaise said he was looking after him at his apartment so the man obviously wasn’t brewing.

Harry was worried about him, no doubt about that, his flat was awful and he obviously wasn’t eating enough or sleeping well, let alone have anything relaxing to do in his free time. If Draco went to Blaise though maybe he had listened to Harry a bit, maybe he was ready to accept help and that would only be a good thing. Harry was still worried that Draco hated him and secretly he was disappointed not to be the one that Draco came to for help but then of course Blaise was the better choice. So that was that. Draco was safe at Blaise’s and Harry just had to trust that Blaise would know what was best for him.

Harry’s body had basically recovered by Monday evening. You could still see the little cuts down his left side and on his knees where the glass had pierced the skin but the wounds were healing nicely and didn’t need any dressings on them now. It was only his hand that was still a little painful and had to stay bandaged. It had stopped bleeding now and the wound was closing up though so it would probably be back to normal in a day or two.

He would have been fine to go back home really but he was a bit worried about how he’d sleep and part of him wanted an excuse to keep an eye on the shop opposite so when George offered for Harry to stay in his bed another night Harry graciously accepted. It was only the second night in years that he’d gone to bed without any potion, pain or alcohol to induce sleep which is probably why he lay awake all night just staring at the ceiling afraid to fall into sleep where the nightmares that he hadn’t had in years might come back.

George though had slept deeply so hadn’t noticed and when he woke up the next morning Harry pretended that he’d just woken up too. Harry was relieved on Tuesday morning to see the shop open as normal and felt like he didn’t really have an excuse to hang around the flat anymore so he thanked Fred and George once again for patching him up and listening to him, then went back home to continue his writing at Grimmauld.

The daytime hours on Monday and Tuesday went really slowly. Harry was trying to just push on ahead with the book, he still wanted to write it even if Draco wanted nothing to do with it but his motivation was lacking. It was strange as a month ago he was planning on writing alone but then the thought of writing it alongside Draco really gave him more drive and made him even more excited about it. Now going back to the idea of writing it alone felt sad and lonely. 

He’d recorded all the events of second and third year now too to go with the first few draft chapters but the notes were scrappy and the writing didn’t flow. The quill only wrote what he dictated and he kept getting distracted so it wasn’t a massive surprise to find that half the pages didn’t really make sense. It was difficult to make progress though when his mind was constantly wandering to Draco. What was Draco doing now? How was he feeling? Was he OK? Was he thinking of Harry as much as Harry was thinking about him?

It was around five o’clock on Tuesday that Kreacher came into his study to tell him that Draco was calling him from the fire. Harry jumped straight up and sprinted to the drawing room desperate to see the man.

“Draco!” He practically cried into the fire when he saw the familiar face in the coals. He was so relieved that he’d forgotten all about his plan to try and play it cool.

“Merlin Draco, I’m so glad you called, I’ve been tearing my hair out. I am so so sorry, you have no idea, I was such an idiot, I’m sorry, please, I should have listened to you, I should never have-” He rambled on not noticing that Draco was continually trying to interrupt him until the man practically shouted.

“HARRY!” 

“Oh, er sorry. Yeah?” Harry stumbled.

“Harry I’m in a bit of a hurry to get out of here and I need to talk to you but I didn’t want to just turn up. Would it be OK if I came over now?” Draco hurried out quickly but elegantly. Harry could sense he was worried about something.

“Of course, you could have just turned up but I appreciate you checking. Come now.” Harry replied.

“Thank you. See you in a moment.” Draco said quickly before he disappeared from the flames.

Harry then rushed down to the front door not even bothering to check how he looked and waited until he heard a knock. When he did he flung the door open so fast and was so relieved that Draco had come.

“Draco, hi it’s good to see you. Thank you for coming. I’m so sorr-” He rushed out again.

Draco hadn’t even looked at Harry yet which was odd, he was looking around him nervously as he stood on the doorstep and didn’t even seem to be listening to Harry yet as he interrupted Harry once more.

“Sorry to interrupt Harry but do you think I could come in?” He asked anxiously.

“Oh right, yeah, sorry, of course.” Harry mumbled standing aside to allow Draco to come in.

Harry shut the door behind Draco and they both stood in the hallway slightly awkwardly for a moment until Harry noticed that Draco seemed to be holding a box of what looked like clothes and toiletries.

“Are you staying?” He asked Draco. He was half confused and half hopeful but he wasn’t really sure if either of those emotions came through in his tone.

Suddenly Draco looked slightly uncomfortable. 

“Look Harry, I know it’s really awful of me to turn up here and expect you to help me after all the horrible things I said to you but I- I- need help and this is the best place to come.” Draco started still not looking at Harry but looking at the floor. 

He sounded lost, scared and sad. So much so that it made Harry want to hug him. Harry was confused, he was glad that Draco was accepting that he needed help but he thought Blaise was helping him. Has something else happened?

“It’s fine Draco, I’m glad you’re here, really I am. You don’t need to apologise to me. I’m the one who is sorry.” Harry replied. “I pushed into your home, into your private life without being invited. I didn’t listen to you or respect your boundaries. You had every right to get angry at me.”

Draco was finally looking at Harry and shaking his head. “No Harry, you were trying to do something nice for me and I was a complete bastard to you… I- I- didn’t mean the things that I said. I- It’s-”

Draco seemed like he was trying to say something but he didn’t know how to say it. He seemed tired and stressed. He was dressed in the same outfit that Harry had first seen him wear as Pierre and Harry figured he’d probably come straight from work.

“Look, we should talk, but let’s get comfy first shall we? You want a drink or anything?” Harry offered.

Draco chewed his lip nervously which wasn’t something Harry had seen him do before. “I don’t suppose you have any chamomile tea do you?” He asked quietly. 

“Erm, there are quite a few different teas in the cupboard. Dromeda gave me a selection box thing for Christmas last year but it’s not something I have often. I’ll ask Kreacher, he’ll know.” Harry replied.

Before he even got the chance to call Kreacher the elf appeared in the kitchen and could be seen from where they were standing in the hallway through the open door. He’d obviously been listening from the other side of the room.

“Of course we have chamomile tea Master Draco, Kreacher will bring it, Masters must sit.” The old house elf spoke directly to Draco seemingly ignoring Harry and then started moaning under his breath as usual. “Master Harry is not even knowing what teas we have. Master be useless without Kreacher…”

“Er, right well, looks like that’s taken care of. Come and sit in the lounge.” Harry offered holding up his hand to open the door and then remembered how it still hurt to do the simplest things so quickly tried to hide it and use his left hand to open the door.

Unfortunately Draco noticed though. “What happened to your hand?” He asked from behind Harry as Harry walked into the sitting room.

Harry turned to face Draco both standing in the middle of the lounge. “It’s nothing, really it’s fine.” He said whilst gesturing for Draco to take a seat.

Draco sat on the edge of the sofa nearest the door and Harry sat down on the same sofa but the other end. He remembered the last time they sat here and held each other’s hands. They weren’t close enough to touch now but it was nicer than having the coffee table in between them.

Just then Kreacher appeared in the room suddenly out of nowhere with a floating teapot and two steaming teacups full of yellowish liquid. He sent them a teacup each and set the pot on the coffee table before vanishing.

Draco was now holding a teacup but was still frowning at Harry’s bandaged hand and obviously wasn’t going to let it go. “Tell me what happened.” He demanded using a voice that was both stern and gentle if such things were possible.

“Erm, well…” Harry started awkwardly. “It was on Sunday after… well you know, I er, well it was glass… from a- er, from a bottle but I didn’t actually drink any I swear! I was going to though I suppose... but it smashed and I didn’t. I haven’t touch a drop since-”

Draco looked uncomfortable again and interrupted Harry as was his new habit. “Harry you don’t have to explain, it’s fine I should never have said that about your drinking I didn’t mean it.”

Harry shrugged. “You were right though, I am a pathetic mess who drinks too much. I already knew it really... I just never had it pointed out to me like that from someone… someone I care about.” He added the last part after a slight pause but looked straight in Draco’s eyes as he said it.

Draco was looking straight back at him but didn’t seem to have any words just yet so Harry carried on.

“I am really going to try and be better, Draco, I swear. I’m trying to sort my head out and get my life on track. I don’t want to be a mess anymore... for myself, for my Godchildren, my friends…” ‘for you’ He added silently in his head.

Draco swallowed thickly and took a big sip of his chamomile tea which seemed to help him. Harry had yet to try it but he had to admit the smell was calming. He was unsure how his words had affected the blonde but he thought they’d had an impact. 

Draco was nodding slowly at him. “OK Harry.” He said quietly. “That’s good and I can help if- if you want me to… I can still make you potions but maybe I can alter them and you can just gradually have less-”

It was Harry’s turn to interrupt Draco now as he shook his head. “No. Thank you but no. I’ll be fine, I don’t want to take anymore. I’ll figure it out… but thank you, and erm, well if I need help then I will definitely ask you and I… erm, well I hope if you need help you’ll ask me too but I won’t push…”

Draco sighed and took another few sips of his tea closing his eyes as he did so. Harry waited. When Draco opened his eyes and looked back at Harry he seemed calmer and more determined.

“I do need your help Harry. I know I don’t deserve it after the way I treated you though and I want you to know how sorry I am.” Draco paused. “I genuinely already made up my mind yesterday that I would come and apologise to you and explain things. I probably would have done it tonight regardless but I will confess that certain circumstances today have forced my hand slightly which I am annoyed about as I am worried it will make my apology seem less genuine.” He said eloquently. 

“Draco, it’s fine I already said you don’t need to be sorry. I shouldn’t have been there in your flat, I shouldn’t have opened the cupboards and…” Harry trailed off awkwardly.

“No, you shouldn’t have but I should have communicated to you more clearly and for what it’s worth I do understand that you were just trying to do something nice for me.” Draco replied, speaking calmly. “I’m not used to people coming round unannounced and it did throw me a bit. I like plans and structure in my life, I should tell you now that I don’t like surprises but it’s my fault too that our plans for Sunday weren’t more defined.”

“OK.” Harry said slowly. “No surprises, got it. That’s a good thing to learn about you so thank you. From now on we’ll both communicate better and make solid plans that’s fine.”

Harry was trying to take this all in. It seemed like if Draco was here explaining these things to them then not all was lost. He still didn’t know what they meant to each other but he wasn't really thinking about that now. For now it was just important to him that they get their friendship back on track. Maybe they had both tried to move too fast too soon, after all in some ways they barely knew each other. Now that Harry realised Draco didn’t like things spontaneously thrust upon him he could respect that and understand why he’d gotten angry at Harry on Sunday. 

“Also, I have been trying to keep my living situation quiet as I... was ashamed of it. Not even Blaise or Daphne knew how bad it was so when you discovered it… well that was hard for me to deal with.” Draco said slowly and quietly, still pausing to take little sips of his tea here and there and looking down at his cup as he did so. 

“You may have realised by now that I’m... not good at asking for help when I need it.” Draco continued. “It was always instilled in me that Malfoys do not beg or borrow or ask and that they don’t require help. That would be seen as a sign of weakness.”

“Draco,” Harry said softly when the blonde opposite him stopped talking to drink some more tea. “Everyone needs help from time to time. I can prove that, you said it yourself and you’re not wrong. I’m not perfect, nobody is but asking for help is not weak.”

Draco laughed weakly. “Yes… I am beginning to realise that.”

There was a small gap in the conversation where Harry finally tired some of the tea. It wasn’t really something he would normally drink but it did have a soothing quality to it.

“This tastes like your calming draught.” He said thoughtfully.

Draco looked up at him and smiled slightly. “Yes, I use more chamomile in my calming draughts than other potioneers. I hardly ever take potions myself but I often drink chamomile tea, it soothes me.”

“Right. OK then, well I’ll ask Kreacher to get some more in then.” Harry said nervously and took a deep breath before continuing. “That is, if you’re going to be around here more?”

Draco hesitated and when he spoke his voice was little louder than a whisper. “Did you really mean it when you invited me to move in with you or were you just saying that?”

“Of course.” Harry said casually. “I never thought you’d actually take me up on it if I’m honest but I stand by what I said. There are plenty of rooms here you wouldn’t get in my way or anything and I do get a bit lonely sometimes I guess… It makes sense for you to be here if you need somewhere else to stay. It's your family home more than mine really and Kreacher would love to have you.”

“Thank you. It means a lot to me.” Draco said in a quiet voice. “It would only be for a short time, maybe a month or two if that’s acceptable. Blaise is going to look for a three bedroom place for me, him and Daphne but it might take some time.”

“Oh.” Was Harry’s only response. That was strange, did he feel… disappointed by the fact that it was only a short term thing? A little… but it would make sense that Draco would rather live with his friends of course. Harry shrugged it off. “Sure, however long you need.”

There was something that he didn't quite understand though. 

“Can I ask you something?” He said frowning.

“You may.” Draco said simply.

“It’s not that I don’t want you here or anything, because I do but why can’t you live with Blaise? You were at his yesterday right? Has something happened?” Harry said, scratching his head.

Draco took a deep breath and then answered. “Well firstly because it is a two bedroom apartment and Daphne has more or less moved in with him now. Her own home life isn’t entirely stress free at the moment, but in truth that is not the main reason. I will tell you everything as you deserve a full explanation after me turning up at your doorstep asking to move in with you after the way I treated you but it might be another long conversation and I promised I’d let Blaise and Daphne know if you agreed or not. They’re probably already worrying. Would it be perhaps acceptable if I floo called them? Then might I also have a shower and get changed? Then we can talk I promise.”

“Of course, I’m sorry I should have offered that, you’re still in your work clothes.” Harry said quickly.

“Kreacher.” He called out. 

Kreacher appeared back into the room with a ‘pop’ and Harry addressed him.

“Would you please show Draco where the drawing room is so he can call his friends and then after that would you bring him to Regulus’ old room?”

Kreacher bowed. “Yes Master Harry.”

“How many times do I have to tell you that just Harry is fine Kreacher? Drop the Master crap would you?” Harry moaned instinctively.

“Master had no respect for the old ways.” Kreacher muttered back. “Come Master Draco, follow me.”

Harry gave Draco a weak smile and Draco returned it before following Kreacher out and up the stairs. Harry picked up the box of things that Draco had left in the hallway and then followed them up the stairs but he carried on to the top floor as they stopped on the first floor landing and went into the drawing room.

As Harry reached the top he opened the door to his right and looked into a room he hadn’t stepped foot into since it had been redecorated years ago. No one had stayed it in since, all the newly decorated bedrooms here were a bit of a waste as he’d never had anyone spend the night here.

He placed Draco’s box on the big four poster bed that dominated the room. Hopefully Draco would like it in here, it was a beautiful room and quite elegant. It was mostly white and silver now as Harry had wanted a much light colour palette for the house, but it still had little decorative touches of the Slytherin green in here that Regulus had obviously been so fond of. It was a sizeable room with a big wardrobe and a chest of drawers. There was also a small writing desk underneath the window next to the bed and a small sofa and coffee table at the foot of the bed which meant Draco could use the room as an office and a sitting room as well.  
Harry looked down at Draco’s box of things. Was this really all the man had? Maybe he’d just brought one box as he wasn’t sure of Harry’s answer and he’d go back and get the rest later. Yes that was probably it.

Not wanting to be caught prying into Draco’s things again he stepped out of the room back into the hall. He popped his head into the bathroom just to double check everything in here but it was spotless as always, Kreacher really did do a good job. Harry would have to thank him again later. He waited nervously on the top landing for Draco to come up. He wondered what it would be like to live with him, even if it was only for a month.

It wasn’t long before he heard the noise of footsteps coming up the stairs and Kreacher appeared at the top with Draco following.

“Er, thanks Kreacher, and thanks for keeping things so clean up here too. I’ll be down in a minute and we can make some dinner?” Harry asked.

Kreacher bowed simply and disappeared.

Draco was looking between them strangely but smiling slightly. “You have an odd relationship with your house elf.” He said amused.

Harry shrugged. “Yeah, probably, but it works. Are Blaise and Daphne OK?” He asked.

Draco simply nodded. “They are grateful to you for letting me stay, as am I.” He said formally.

Draco was being quite formal tonight, it was weird given how relaxed they had been around each other on Saturday night at the restaurant but Harry figured that this was just Draco hiding behind his protective walls again. 

“Right well. I thought you might like this room but erm, well if you don’t then you can choose another one.” Harry said, suddenly feeling a bit nervous as he gestured for Draco to step inside.

Draco opened the door and seemed pleasantly surprised by what he saw. He was looking around at everything slowly and smiling softly. He still hadn’t said anything though.

“Do- erm, do you like it? Is it OK?” Harry asked, running his hand through his hair and waiting for Draco’s reaction.

“Harry, it's beautiful.” Draco said softly, all sense of his stiff formal persona had melted away. “When you said Regulus’ room I was expecting it to be dark and dingy like one of the rooms at the Manor, the man was a Death Eater and a Black after all, but guess you’ve had this redone too?”

“Yeah I had all the rooms redone at the same time, seemed easier.” Harry said in his normal tone now that he was more relaxed by the fact that Draco liked it. “It was a bit depressing in here before I’ll admit but I wanted to keep the Slytherin colours as a kind of nod to Regulus and the way it was before. He, erm, he wasn’t all bad. I’ll tell you the story one day but Kreacher still thinks fondly of him so he keeps this room spotless and the sheets fresh.”

Draco walked to the head of the bed and peeled back the duvet slightly to run his hand over the crisp white sheets. “Egyptian cotton.” He said fondly.

“Er, if you say so.” Harry smiled pleased that Draco approved but not really knowing what was so special about the material. 

Harry, who was still hovering in the doorway then pointed to a door on his left. “The bathroom is just next door, it has a bath and a shower so whatever you like is fine obviously and feel free to keep your stuff in the empty cabinet next to mine, if er, if you want. But if you’d rather have your own bathroom then you can just use the one downstairs next to the master suite, or the one in the master suite to be fair… there’s a few so just whichever.”

Draco turned to him and frowned. “Aren’t you in the Master suite?” 

“Erm no, that room felt a bit big for just me.” Harry said slightly awkwardly again. “I’m actually in the room opposite this… it- er, it was Sirius’ room so I- erm, just wanted to feel close to him… but if it's a problem, me being so close I can move.” He rushed out weirdly.

Draco was looking at him as if he was mad. “Don’t be absurd Harry, this is your home you don’t have to offer to move bedrooms because of me. This arrangement is perfectly fine, thank you.”

“Ok, well, erm great.” Harry stammered. “I’ll be downstairs then in the kitchen then making dinner and then we can talk, but er, just take your time and erm, there are fresh towels in the bathroom, just use any and make yourself at home.”

“Thank you Harry.” Draco said quietly, looking at Harry with his beautiful silvery eyes.

“No problem.” Harry said looking back. He spoke instinctively before he thought about it but he found he meant every word when he said “It’s really good to have you here Draco, I’m so pleased you came.”

There was a pause for a moment until Draco replied softly. “Me too.”

*~*

Harry made a start in the kitchen with Kreacher. He decided he’d just keep it simple with the comfort food that Kreacher did best, hopefully Draco would like it. Kreacher focused on his signature steak and kidney pie whilst Harry did the sides of creamy mash, peas and gravy. Draco came down just as they were finishing off, it was perfect timing. It was strange to have someone else in the house to think about, Harry did like the fact that Draco was here but he would definitely have to get used to it.

“Hey.” He said when Draco walked in.

Draco was looking calmer than before in his grey joggers and plain black long sleeved top, his whole posture seemed more relaxed. Harry, who obviously hadn’t been expecting anyone, was already in dark red joggers and a white top anyway so that probably helped Draco feel like he could dress down and be himself. Harry always liked looking at fancy Draco with his fitted clothing but if he was honest with himself he liked this homely casual Draco more.

“Hi.” Draco said simply. 

He still looked slightly awkward as if he couldn’t make himself at home yet. He didn’t know where to stand or sit or what to do.

“Was everything alright… did you find what you needed?” Harry asked slightly nervously. 

Draco nodded. “The bath was heavenly actually, I haven’t had one since I left the Manor and it was exactly what I needed. Thank you.”

He seemed like he was being honest with his words but he was still speaking in a slightly stiff formal tone. Harry hoped that over time he would completely relax, he found that he wanted Draco to feel at home here.

“Dinner smells nice.” Draco said, still slightly reserved.

“Thanks, erm, I wasn’t sure what you wanted but Kreacher makes the best steak and ale pies, comfort food at it’s best.” Harry replied.

“That sounds lovely, thank you.” Draco shifted slightly on the spot, still being awkward with his body language. “Is there anything I can do?”

Harry was about to reply no but then he thought that it would be nice to give Draco a role and help him integrate into the house.

“Erm, sure. Er set the table?... please.” He added. “Place mats in there, cutlery in there.” Harry said pointing a few things out. 

Harry dished up three plates in the kitchen and Kreacher took his portion down to his room in the cellar like he usually did. This was a compromise they’d settled on when Harry insisted that Kreacher eat what he cooked too but Kreacher still refused to sit at “Master’s table”.

“I’m going to have a coke with it, want one?” Harry asked casually.

Draco looked slightly confused and uncomfortable for a second. “I don’t know what that is, sorry.” He said quietly.

Harry thought he didn’t like admitting that he didn’t know something.

“You don’t need to be sorry Draco, of course you wouldn’t know, it’s my fault. It’s a muggle drink.” Harry explained. He didn’t like that Draco kept feeling the need to apologise for everything. “It’s quite sweet you’d probably like it. Just try it and if you don’t want it then don’t drink it I won’t be offended.”

“Sure, I’ll try it. Thank you.” Draco replied simply.

Draco was quiet during dinner, too quiet, Harry didn’t like it. The man obviously didn’t feel at home here yet which was understandable given it had literally been a couple of hours since he ‘moved in’ but Harry felt like he was holding back massively. Hopefully they would talk properly after dinner and once everything was all out in the open then maybe Draco would properly relax.

Once they’d finished, Harry asked Kreacher if he would clear up and he gestured to Draco to go through into the sitting room.

Draco sat down on the sofa but right on the edge like he’d done before and he looked tense again. Harry sat down on the other end and decided to go first. He hoped that for once his words would do a good job of articulating what he felt.

“Draco, I know Sunday kind of made things a bit awkward between us but we’ve both said sorry and explained our side of things so can we just move on now?” Harry started. “Like, we can learn from it so stuff like that won’t happen again and I think we both need to get better at expressing how we feel but otherwise let’s just pretend it never happened?” He suggested.

Draco was nodding and looked slightly relieved. “I can do that.” He said simply.

“OK.” Harry said slowly. “Good, that’s good. So, like before, last Wednesday, I mean… that was a lot, we shared so much that day and it was good right? You felt better after?”

“Yes, I felt better after.” Draco agreed slowly and cautiously.

“Me too.” Harry said confidently, feeling that so far this was going well. “You’ve trusted me and it means a lot as I know you don’t trust people easily but I hope I’ve shown you that I can be trusted.”

“You have.” Draco said simply, still not quite looking at Harry.

“OK, good.” Harry assured him. He took a deep breath and jumped straight in. “So now will you please tell me what’s going on. I can tell you’re holding something back. I want you here but if you’re going to be here I want you to feel relaxed and to be completely yourself.”

Draco let out a small low chuckle. “Myself.” He repeated quietly as if he didn’t really understand what the word meant. 

Harry waited and he watched as Draco took a deep breath and then Draco told him everything. He told him about how Lucius had still put pressure on him to get married to a pure-blood witch and be the Malfoy heir that he was supposed to be. He explained all about the fake engagement to Daphne and about planning with Blaise to move out and start the business under a fake name to get away from Lucius so that he wouldn’t be able to find him. Draco explained that he knew Lucius would never let him go and live his own life and then it took a lot of careful planning and deception to get away. Then he told him what happened on the day that Blaise helped him move out.

“What?” Harry cried out in surprise unable to help himself despite the fact he told himself he wouldn’t interrupt. “I’m sorry, he tried to use an unforgivable on you to force you to stay?”

Draco didn’t say anything but he gave a short sharp nod in confirmation.

“Draco, that’s illegal you need to go to the aurors-”

Draco scoffed and looked annoyed. “The aurors would never help me.” He said quickly. “I’d put a report in and it would probably sit on someone’s desk at the bottom of their in-tray for weeks.”

“Trust me Draco it wouldn’t” Harry insisted. “It’s a good department now I swear, it’s not like it once was. There is a strong system in place and it works. Also, to be honest with you, not a lot happens now, half the job is stopping drunken duels and dealing with petty thefts. An unforgivable would go straight to the top team and would be a priority case. There are good guys in there now, we worked hard to get rid of prejudices at the Ministry and they wouldn’t treat the case any differently with the name on the file. You have two witnesses, even if your mother won’t speak out then Blaise is still a witness. Lucius only narrowly escaped Azkaban after the war but he was told he needed to be an exemplary citizen from now on. He had a life sentence once before, this alone would be enough to put him back inside for sure.”

Draco didn’t say anything for a while but he was thinking. Eventually he spoke up. “If you say the Ministry is changed then I suppose I believe you but I still don’t want any dealings with them unless I have to. I’d rather manage it myself but I will admit that recently I have been worrying about how I will ever lead my life if Lucius won’t leave me alone. I suppose I’m hoping that he will just give up and accept the situation. That would be the best outcome for everyone…” He trailed off.

“How likely is that?” Harry asked tentatively.

“Unlikely.” Draco admitted.

“Did he really burn all your stuff?” Harry asked quietly.

Draco nodded. “All my personal items anyway, fortunately I had already moved out the business stuff earlier that day before breakfast.”

Harry was quiet for a moment. “And you really disinherited yourself?”

“He would have done it anyway. I wanted to take that power away from him.” Draco said quietly.

Harry nodded slowly. “I can see that.” 

“So you spent all your money on the business? Put that first and yourself last?” Harry asked after another silently quiet awkward moment.

Draco didn’t respond but nodded again.

“So that's why… the flat and the food…” Harry didn’t really know how to ask what he wanted to ask without offending Draco. Money was always a touchy subject between him and Ron and he knew that it was a difficult thing to talk about.

Fortunately Draco spoke up. “Money is a sensitive issue for me Harry.” He said quietly and softly but speaking in a more open tone than the stiff formal one he adopted before. “I know it’s pathetic but I've been brought up knowing that money gives you power and although I don’t want power in that way like Lucius does… I- I can’t help feeling weak without it. I want to be successful, I’ve always been ambitious like that so although the business is making some money now I can’t bring myself to spend what little money I have as I want to build up my vault in order to feel secure again.”

“I can understand that.” Harry said honestly. “Do you mind me asking how many vaults you have?”

“I have my personal one under my new legal name which I transferred what was left of my trust fund into but it’s pretty much empty now after I replaced my clothes. Occasionally I use it to buy something from the bakery.” Draco said with a slight bitter tone in her voice. “Then I have the business now under my business name which is rising slowly but I haven’t touched it to pay myself a salary, I just use it to buy stuff for the business and pay Daphne’s salary.”

“Daphne takes a salary even though you don’t take one for yourself?” Harry asked.

“She didn’t want to but I wouldn’t employ her without one. It’s much less than she deserves, it’s basically an apprentice’s wage.” Draco explained. “Also she thinks I take the same…” He added, sounding guilty. 

“Oh.” Was all that Harry said.

“But I don't want to live here and not contribute anything.” Draco said quickly. “I do have a little bit so I can buy food or something-”

Harry interrupted him. “We can sort that out tomorrow, I think I have a plan for that.”

Draco frowned at him. “I don’t accept charity.”

“Yes, you made that clear don’t worry.” Harry smiled slightly as he said it. “Besides there is something you can do for me.”

“Name it.” Draco said simply.

“You can write the book with me.” Harry said quietly.

Draco frowned again. “Harry, that’s already been established-” He started in a slightly confused note and then stopped himself as he remembered something. “Oh, I’d forgotten, I said- on Sunday… I said I wanted nothing to do with it…” He trailed off awkwardly.

“Harry I didn’t mean that. I still want to do the book with you for all the same reasons as I wanted to before.” Draco said looking Harry straight in the eyes this time. “In fact, I’ll do more, if that’s OK, I’ll pull my weight in terms of time as you’ve provided me with somewhere to live and food… I can’t write your memories of course but I’m good with words like you said and I can edit well. I’ll put the effort in.”

Harry was smiling at Draco now. “OK great thanks!”

Harry then went into his auror mode and formed a plan out loud. “So we still need a plan for you to keep the shop going but stay safe from Lucius for the time being. I will want to find a long term solution to get him out of your life for good but for now I don’t think anyone should ever be in the building alone and I think it should be empty all the time during the hours the shop is closed.”

“I agree with that in principle, I was thinking along the same lines but I still need time to brew and create, I can’t get it all done during the hours the shop is open and keep my meetings with customers.” Draco said. He seemed to be more relaxed now they’d got the difficult part of the conversation out the way and they were working together to make a plan.

“Ok.” Harry said slowly, giving himself time to think. “Well can you brew here on Wednesdays and Sundays and evening as well I guess if you want although I do think you should find time to relax and not work all the time…” Harry trailed off realising that he was rambling.

“Harry, I can’t take up any more space here-” Draco started.

“Oh shut up Draco, you’ve seen how big and empty this house is! Even between the two of us we could literally live on the top floor and the ground floor. Apart from my office the other two floors barely get used. Plus there is an attic and a basement. You can set up a potions lab anywhere, have a separate packing room for all I care-”

“Alright Harry you’ve made your point!” Draco said, shaking his head slightly. “A space to work might be appreciated if you’re sure you don’t mind.”

“Not at all, it will be nice to see the house being used more and it’s nice to feel like I’m helping.” Harry shrugged. “We’ll set it up tomorrow.”

“I don’t need your help, I can make multiple trips to get my equipment. I don’t want to take up your time.” Draco insisted.

“Draco, I literally don’t have a job! I have nothing but time!” Harry laughed. “Besides we literally just agreed that no one should be in the building alone and that includes you so I’m coming with you!”

“I don’t need a bodyguard!” Draco said instinctively with a frown.

Harry sighed. “It’s not about being weak, I’m sure you could take Lucius but there’s a reason why even the best field aurors work in pairs. Please Draco, promise me you’ll make your safety a priority. If you don’t care enough about yourself to do it for you then keep yourself safe for Blaise and for Daphne, they care about you... and do it for your business, you’ve worked hard to get to this point, don’t throw it away now by being careless or stubborn.”

Draco was quiet for a moment and then nodded in acceptance. “Fine, thank you.” He said quietly and then he looked away and sighed.

“What’s wrong?” Harry asked cautiously. 

“I just don’t like feeling so dependent on other people and this whole thing with Lucius… it makes me feel like I’m not in control of my life and that’s what I wanted more than everything when I moved out of the Manor.” Draco said flaty. “It felt so good that day to get control and do something on my own that he didn’t expect but now… trying to keep that independent life is proving much harder than I thought it would be.”

Harry was quiet for a moment as he considered Draco’s words. He desperately wanted to help him.

“I swear to you Draco we’ll find a way to get Lucius out of your life for good. It won’t always be like this.” Harry said quietly. “I do get it Draco, maybe more than you think. I used to try and do everything myself, I still do often to be honest but I used to be worse. I would never have got through the war by myself you know, we all need people around us.”

Then he picked himself up and spoke with more confidence. 

“You need to start seeing the people in your life that you can rely on as a strength. Rather than you being weakened by accepting help, you’re strengthened by being part of a team. Lucius is all on his own, even if he can use Narcissa I think she might be more like Lucius’ prisoner than an ally to him. You have people you can use to help you, people that really care for you and are helping you because they want to not because they have to. That’s something that Lucius doesn’t have. Between me, you, Blaise, Daphne, Fred and George we’ll figure something out.” Harry said with assurance.

“I’ve never thought of it like that before.” Draco said slowly. “Lucius can’t ever know that you’re helping me though or the twins. You’re the last person he would ever think I would turn to for help. He knows that I’m friends with Blaise and is probably aware now that Daphne works for me if mothers has informed him but having people in my corner who he wouldn’t expect is definitely a good thing. He might be watching me, I’m not sure, but we can’t ever be seen together just in case. I don’t want you to think that I don’t want to be here, I have no problem with living with you but I have to confess that the added security you have on your house helped persuade me.”

Harry was thinking and nodding along. “Yes, you’re safe here. He would never think to look for you here but even if he knew you were here he still can’t get in. Blaise knows where you are and even he couldn’t get in at the moment. You’re right about us not being seen together too, we’ll be careful tomorrow but that’s achievable. I have my cloak after all and Fred and George have invisibility cloaks that they sell too which might come in handy. They're not as good as mine, if you look closely you can tell something is there and the charms on it wear off after a while but they’ll do if we need them. I’ll get you one anyway. Besides, I might not be an auror anymore but I still have a few tricks up my sleeve.” He finished confidently.

Draco turned to him and smiled a relaxed genuine smile. It was the most comfortable Harry had seen him look since he arrived.

“Sounds good. Thank you Harry, for everything.” He said fondly.

“Anytime Draco.” Harry said hoping Draco knew how true it was.

There was another pause in the conversation where Harry and Draco just relaxed into the sofa. Draco seemed content now and he was looking around his surroundings a bit more.

“Harry?” 

“Yeah?”

“What is Salazar’s name is that thing on the wall?”

Harry laughed. “That’s a television.” He said amused. “Here, let me show you.”

The next couple of hours were spent with Harry flicking through the channels showing Draco what was on TV and trying to teach him how to use it. Draco was equal parts fascinated and horrified which was very amusing. He had so many questions and Harry was answering them all but each answer he gave just led to more questions. Draco seemed grateful for something to distract him but he still seemed slightly on edge and it very much felt like he was still a guest here that was about to leave.

Then again, Draco had been through a lot over the past couple of days, well over the last month really, perhaps longer. It was obvious now that Draco had never really had an easy life. Harry was contemplating everything that Draco had shared with him. He was so furious with Lucius and he wasn’t giving up on trying to convince Draco to turn him in. He knew Ron would help and they could put Lucius away for good. For now though he would just try and encourage Draco to relax while he was here, get some sleep and eat properly. All those things would help. At least both of them felt confident that Lucius wouldn’t find Draco here. 

It was about ten o’clock when Draco started stretching and yawning. Although there was something about it that didn’t seem quite genuine to Harry.

“Well I think I’m going to head to bed if that’s OK?” Draco said suddenly, slightly nervous again.

“Of course.” Harry said, acknowledging to himself that there was a bit of uneasy tension in the room again. He supposed it was just because it was still new and strange to think of the two of them living together. 

“I know you said it might only be for a short time but you can stay here as long as you want and I want you to treat it like your home too while you’re here. You should try and relax.” Harry said, trying to sound convincing and willing the man to secretly know how happy Harry was to have him here without Harry having to say it.

“Thank you.” Draco said as if he was still unfamiliar with saying the words. “I will try.” He added quietly.

“Good. Well if you need anything at any time you can just call for Kreacher, he’s pretty helpful and yeah, he likes you…” Harry smiled to himself at the memories of Kreacher saying how he’d rather serve “The Malfoy boy”. If Kreacher and Harry had only known then that this is how things would work out…

Draco was giving Harry a quizzical look as he stood up. “There’s a story there, I can tell by your face.” He said simply.

Harry laughed softly at that. “Another time.” He said fondly.

“Alright.” Draco said as he turned to walk out the room. He hovered in the doorway for a moment before going up the stairs and then slowly turned back round to Harry.

“Will you be alright tonight, you know, without Dreamless Sleep?” He asked tentatively.

“I’ll be fine.” Harry lied.

Draco seemed unsure but didn’t push it further. “OK then… Goodnight Harry.” He said softly before leaving the room.

Harry listened to the delicate noise of Draco’s footsteps as he went up the stairs until he could no longer hear them thinking to himself again how nice it was to not feel alone here for once.

Draco was here.

Harry smiled and stretched out on the sofa.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So Harry and Draco are officially living together now! Even if it might be for the 'wrong' reasons and it's only short term.  
> All of our side characters will still feature of course but now they are under the same roof you can expect more Harry and Draco interactions and more stuff to do with the book (it's not been forgotten about!!)  
> <3


	20. Draco: Wednesday 12th October

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Draco has his first day at Grimmauld Place where Harry has a plan for how they should tackle Draco's business under Lucius's watchful eye.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A nice long chapter for you today to make up for the slightly shorter one yesterday.  
> Plus a Harry, Draco, Fred and George scene! :)  
> I'm trying to write it so that different small groups and pairings get together at different times. No Blaise or Daphne today but don't worry they'll be back and at at one point I'll finally get the six of them all together at once!  
> There's a lovely moment here with Draco and the twins so enjoy that! ;)

Draco woke on Wednesday feeling the best he’d felt in ages. He had been feeling tired last night but he wasn’t entirely convinced he would sleep as he said goodnight to Harry, but as soon as he crawled into bed after his routine nightly meditation he’d fallen fast asleep. He hadn’t even heard Harry come up to bed or get up this morning. He must have been out to the world as he was usually a light sleeper, the bed was just so comfortable. It had been nice to sleep in Blaise’s bed after the horror he’d been enduring but he actually preferred the crisp white Egyptian cotton sheets to the silky silvery silk sheets Blaise had. Plus it was nice not to have Blaise next to him, Draco was used to sleeping alone.

The comfort of the bed wasn’t the only thing that helped. His meditation just felt so much more effective and relaxing in this beautiful, light, soft room, to Draco this felt like a luxury hotel. He hadn’t told Harry but it was actually his favourite room that he’d ever slept in. His bedroom at the Manor had been bigger obviously, with a walk in closet and an en-suite but it was so dark in there and as he got older he had realised how oppressive it was. The Slytherin dungeon rooms of Hogwarts had felt the same after a while too. 

The Chateau in France had been much lighter and the room he’d chosen for himself there had been really nice but everything there was so grand and opulent that it just reminded Draco of Lucius. If he was honest, this room was exactly to his tastes and even if he could, he wouldn’t change a thing. The only thing that would make it better was if it was his but it wasn’t it was Harry’s. This was Harry’s home and Draco was just a temporary guest. He hadn't been lying to Harry when he’d told him he no longer felt resentful of him inheriting his house but Draco couldn’t pretend he didn’t wish this house was his. The more he saw of it the more he found that he really liked it, maybe even more than Harry seemed to like his own house.

Draco wasn’t sure of Harry’s routine in the mornings or what time he usually got up but if last week was anything to go by then he probably slept in. Although, he had been on dreamless sleep then and he wasn’t now. Draco was still a bit worried about that, there was obviously a reason why the man relied on it so much and seemingly has done for years. It would be hard to just stop it and he had seemed tired yesterday. He didn’t want to risk waking Harry up but at the same time he really did need to get a move on if he was going to move all his stuff, set up a new potions lab here and get to work on the orders he’d received yesterday.

It was warmer in Harry’s house than in his horrible flat so he had simply slept in his boxers. He got up and put his grey silk dressing gown on that he placed on a hook on the back of his new bedroom door. The rest of his clothes had been neatly put away in the wardrobe but they only took up half the space in there. He crept to the bathroom not wanting to wake Harry in the room opposite.

This bathroom was so much nicer than the one he’d had access to over the past month too. He hadn't been exaggerating to Harry how nice it had been to have a bath last night. He’d have to make himself some bath products too now that he could use one as he found them so much more relaxing than showers. Now though, he stepped into the shower feeling strange that he was now using the shower that Harry used. 

That led to a whole host of other thoughts about Harry in the shower and before Draco knew it he was hard. He groaned and banned his head lightly on the tiled shower wall. He hadn’t thought about Harry in this way since his shower on Sunday morning after the lovely dinner they’d had out. He’d been wanking a lot over thoughts of Harry before then but over the last couple of days it had been pretty far from his mind.

He was pleased that his friendship with Harry was back on track now, he was amazed at how easily Harry had forgiven him and how he’d taken him in without question. The man really did have a heart of gold which only made Draco like him more. However, there had been nothing flirty about their interactions last night and the sexual tension he’d felt around the man on Saturday had gone. What would happen now that they were living together, would it return? Was there anything between them in that way or had Draco simply imagined it? Or maybe now that Harry had been reminded of Draco’s ugly side he realised that he didn’t want Draco like that anymore. Maybe Harry only ever wanted to be friends. 

Draco pushed all sexual thoughts about Harry to one side and tried his best to ignore his hard cock. It would go down on it’s own in time, maybe thinking about Professor Umbridge would help, that had always worked for him in fifth year whenever he’d seen Harry. Toad faced Umbridge with her fluffy pink cardigans and her stupid kitten plates… yes that was definitely helping. Draco wasn’t going to be the one who chased Harry, not anymore, not when he was living here and he needed him this much. He would hate to misinterpret things and drive Harry away, the man’s friendship and hospitality were the most important things to him right now. Also, most of his pride had been shattered now Harry knew so much about his life but he still had a little left that he wanted to keep. He wasn’t sure he’d cope with putting himself out there and then being rejected.

Draco finished his shower using his invigorating citrus shower gel, he needed the energy today. He brushed his teeth using the basin in the empty bathroom unit next to the one that he presumed Harry used. Then he slipped his robe back on and opened the door to return to his room, determined once and for all to only see Harry as a friend for now until Harry made the next move. That thought though only lasted a mere second as he saw the sight that greeted him on the landing. Harry Potter had just reached the top of the stairs and he looked like an absolute God.

The man was dressed in a white sleeveless tank top that showed off his muscular olive skinned arms incredibly well and to make matters worse it was clinging to his torso wet with sweat and left very little to the imagination. Draco could even see his toned calf muscles in the black long sports shorts that he was wearing. His face was flushed slightly in the best way and his hair was incredibly messy falling into his face and dripping slightly with sweat. His beard was looking a little too long and scruffy now, Draco had thought that yesterday when he’d seen him but it didn’t matter. He still looked really good without his glasses.

He suddenly realised mortifyingly that he had stopped dead in his tracks on the landing and had been staring at Harry. Harry seemed to realise this too and he stopped and looked back at Draco with a slightly embarrassed look. He was the one that spoke first breaking Draco out of his trance.

“Er morning, sorry I, er, just came back from a run. I’m not normally this sweaty but I’ve skipped it for the last two days so I pushed hard today to make up for it.” He said quickly, even more flushed now and not meeting Draco’s eye.

“Well the bathroom is free now.” Was all Draco said as he quickly found his feet and walked straight past Harry back into the bedroom.

When he was in the comfort of his room he breathed out the breath he’d been holding and then realised that he was half hard again. Merlin, maybe living with Harry and keeping his thoughts purely platonic was going to be harder than he thought. He was a gay man with eyes and needs after all and Harry was exactly his type… Umbridge, Umbridge, Umbridge… 

He got dressed in simple black slacks and a grey long sleeved top. Normally he’d wear his joggers on a Wednesday but he’d worn them last night and he didn’t want Harry to think he always looked that underdressed. Now he was living with the man, Harry would probably realise how few clothes Draco had and how he often wore the same thing multiple times a week but there wasn’t much he could do about that. Harry knew his situation now better than anyone, he had no secrets from him anymore… well maybe one, and that was how much he fancied him. That was something he’d have to keep from him… for now at least.

Not really sure how long Harry would be or what the breakfast etiquette was, Draco thought he’d just make his way down the stairs anyway. It would be weirder for him to wait in his room for Harry and then go down with him. Draco couldn’t deny the fact that it was great to be living somewhere with food in the cupboards and a house elf, it was even better than Blaise’s. Blaise would always go and get him what he needed of course but Draco thought if he could learn to cook and buy some ingredients himself he could have a bit more independence here. Maybe one day he’d even try and cook for Harry. That was a long way off though, it would probably be a disaster.

Opening the door into the kitchen he found it empty. He’d been in here a few times now obviously but suddenly being in here alone he felt very much like a guest and he didn’t belong. He didn’t know where anything was or what to do. He thought it would be nice if he started making breakfast for Harry but then he didn’t want to pry into the man’s cupboards, that was exactly what Harry had done to him and he hadn’t liked it. Then Draco reminded himself that there was a difference, he was allowed to be here, he was living here and Harry had told him to make himself at home. Even if he did look in the cupboards though he wouldn’t know what to do with what he found.

“Kreacher.” He called out tentatively. 

Kreacher appeared in the kitchen with a faint popping sound and bowed to Draco. 

“Good morning Master Draco.” He said.

“Morning Kreacher.” Draco replied.

Kreacher then started talking, Draco got the impression he found it hard to keep his thoughts to himself. “It is good to have a true Black in the house again, Kreacher is happy, Master Draco should stay.”

“Erm thank you.” Draco said automatically thinking that was probably the best response. “Kreacher, what does Harry usually have for breakfast?”

Kreacher started pacing and muttering under his breath, automatically cleaning the kitchen cupboards with a cloth he’d just produced even though they were spotless.

“That is not an easy question for Kreacher, Master Draco. Master Harry be getting up at different times every day and be having different things, no routine, it is most inconvenient... He is insisting on getting his own breakfast and Kreacher is not touching that muggle thing that makes the black drink. Kreacher mostly is just cleaning up and doing dinner, but it would be an honour to make breakfast for Master Draco.”

“Thanks Kreacher, but I would like to try and be more independent too but perhaps you could just show me around the kitchen a bit and tell me where things are and what the breakfast options are. Would that be OK?” Draco asked kindly, trying to copy the way Harry spoke to his house elf. 

Kreacher set about showing Draco where the glasses, mugs, plates, cutlery and utensils were kept as well as pots, pans and other kitchen items. There were lots of things that Draco didn’t recognise and he was beginning to think that cooking would be harder than he expected. Kreacher also showed him this muggle thing that was like a big cooling cupboard with a light on the inside and lots of different things on the shelves. There was also another one underneath that was really cold, everything in there was frozen. It was amazing really that muggles found a way to keep food cold and preserve things without magic.

Then Kreacher showed him some of the cupboards in the kitchen that had food in and what was available to snack on throughout the day. Then he took Draco next door beyond the kitchen to the pantry where there was even more food, mostly ingredients for things rather than ready-to go-stuff. Like a big sack of potatoes and another of onions. There were lots of meats hanging under preserving charms and cheeses on the shelves also sitting under charms. He got the impression that this was Kreacher’s domain and much more like he expected wizarding pantries to look like, there was nothing muggle here. Judging by the amount of food here though you’d think there were twenty of them for dinner every night.

He also noticed a door leading out onto the garden which looked hideously overgrown and some steps down along the far wall.

“Does that lead to the basement Kreacher?” Draco asked out loud before thinking the answer was pretty obvious really.

“Yes Master Draco.” came the straightforward reply.

Draco wasn’t sure how much he was allowed to just go snooping around but Harry seemed pretty relaxed and he figured if his house elf said it was OK then it would be. “Harry said there might be some space down there for a potions lab, would I be able to go down and have a look please?”

“Yes Master Draco, come, come, Kreacher show you.” Kreacher started to go down the stone stairs and Draco followed him. All the time Kreacher was mumbling things. “Master Regulus used to make potions down here, and Kreacher has kept it set up exactly how Master liked it.”

“Are you saying there is already a potions lab down here?” Draco asked, surprised.

“Of course Master Draco.” Kreacher said as if he was offended. “The ancient and most noble house of Black always be having a potions room like all honourable houses.”

“Does Harry know?” Draco asked instinctively.

“Master Harry never goes beyond the wine cellar.” Kreacher scoffed.

The wine cellar was basically the room the stairs lead straight into with three walls covered floor to ceiling with bottles on racks and there were some crates piled up everywhere too. On the other wall were two doors. One of them had a shabby handmade sign on it saying ‘Kreacher's bedroom’ It looked similar to Harry’s handwriting but it had been carved into the wood. Draco shook his head fondly. It was exactly like Harry to make sure his house elf had a proper bedroom.

The other door was unmarked and Kreacher used his magic to swing it open. What Draco saw took his breath away. It was indeed a fully equipped potions laboratory and it was even bigger and better than his own at the shop, it was perfect. True a lot of the equipment was quite old now and there had been newer models of cauldrons released that Draco preferred to use but the benches were brilliant. There was also floor to ceiling shelves along one wall half full of potions ingredients, Draco couldn’t believe his luck. At first glance he knew some of them would be too old to be effective now but others looked very well preserved and had really long shelf lives so that would definitely save him money on buying more. If he was allowed to use them that is.

“Kreacher, this is perfect.” Draco said looking around him. “Do you think it would be OK if I used this?”

“It would be an honour for you to use it sir. Kreacher kept it this way hoping that it would be used again one day but Master Harry does not make potions.” Said the house elf full of emotion suddenly.

Draco laughed a little. “No he doesn’t. I can’t believe he didn’t know this was here.”

“Master Harry only be spending time here in the last month, Master Draco sir, before Kreacher was mostly alone here. Kreacher keeps the house how he wants it sir. Master Harry be changing the rooms upstairs but Kreacher be keeping the basement and the attic that Master Harry not be touching.” Kreacher muttered as he then started to go back upstairs. 

Draco followed him thinking that Harry would probably be down any minute but he was confused at what Kreacher said. He knew Harry said he didn’t spend much time here for a few years after the war but where had he been staying up until a month ago and why the change? That was strange.

As Draco followed Kreacher back into the kitchen Harry was indeed in there and had already made a start on the coffee. He was wearing black jeans today but they were slightly older, faded and less fitted than the really nice ones that Draco had seen him in before. How many pairs did the man have? He had paired it with a light grey knitted jumper. Even though the materials were different, Draco couldn’t help but notice they matched in their colour choices today. He was also pleased to see Harry had trimmed his beard. He did like Harry with a beard but it looked much better when it was kept short like this significantly more than stubble but not quite enough to be classified as a full on beard. 

“Ah there you are, I wondered where you’d gone. I hope Kreacher wasn’t boring you.” Harry said jokingly. 

Draco, who had carried on walking past Kreacher into the kitchen, suddenly turned around and realised the house elf had disappeared.

“No, not at all, I asked him to show me around the kitchen a bit, hope that’s OK, I was going to see if there was anything I could manage for breakfast but then I got distracted by the stairs for the basement. I thought I’d check out the space but, erm, Harry, did you have any idea that you already have a potions lab in your cellar?” Draco asked, amused.

Harry stopped what he was doing and turned to Draco with a look of surprise. “What? You serious? I thought it was just old storage down there, I’ve never looked. I was a bit afraid of what I’d find to be honest. We always saw Kreacher going in and out of that room during the war, we figured he was hiding stuff in there too that he didn’t want us to get rid of.”

“Well according to Kreacher, all the storage is in the attic and that potions lab has always been there. He said Regulus used to brew in there. It makes sense really, a lot of predominantly Slytherin households have a potions lab. There is an old tradition of Slytherins being good at potions because they don't trust other people to make potions for them. We have one at the Manor but Lucius always said that old tradition was rubbish. He said that Malfoys would never make something themselves when they could pay for someone else to do it but really I think it’s because he was rubbish at potions at school, Severus told me that.” Draco said slightly smugly at the thought of his father being bad at something that he, himself was naturally gifted at. 

“Oh right.” Harry said casually. “Makes sense then I suppose. Well that’s good news if it’s something you can use.”

“It’s a great space Harry… if you’re sure that you don’t mind me using it.” Draco asked tentatively.

“Why would I mind?!” Harry said expressively. “I didn’t even know it was there, it’s hardly going to inconvenience me. You need a lab and there’s one ready made, I’m pleased for you and I want you to use it.” 

“Thank you.” Draco said simply and gave Harry a small smile.

Harry carried on. “Also I was thinking last night that you can have the spare room next to my study and make it into your office. It was repainted but I never got round to putting any furniture in it. I duplicated my desk, my chair and bookshelf and moved them in there last night but you can transfigure them however you like.”

“Harry you didn’t need to do that, I have a desk in my room, I really don’t want to take up too much space.” Draco insisted.

Harry sighed in an amused way. “Will you stop saying that, it was literally an empty room that never got used. The one in your room is only a small writing desk but you’ll need more space if you want to operate your business from here more. It’s much safer for you here than Diagon Alley at the moment, I really think you should try and do as much as you can here. I was thinking we could put a small owlery in the attic too for your mail orders, then you can send them out from here. Obviously we can’t leave Daphne alone at the shop when it’s open so we’ll have to be there sometimes but I can write in the back room of your shop to keep an eye on her. Also if we’re working on the book here together it makes sense for your office to be just next door to mine…” Harry trailed off.

Draco was shaking his head in disbelief. Harry really was going above and beyond, if he kept this up Draco would never want to leave this house. 

“Harry, this house really is perfect for what I need and everything you’re doing here for me... I honestly can’t thank you enough.” He started. “I really could do my whole business from here. It's amazing, but I can’t afford more than one or two owls at the moment so I’ll just have to carry on using the post office in disguise for now. Also, you don’t have to come to the shop, I agree that we can’t leave Daphne alone but you really don’t have to supervise us or anything.” 

“I know you don't want me to babysit you or anything and I’m not trying to but I’m a worrier, I can’t help it, it's just who I am. I know you need your space and I’m not going to follow you everywhere but if I was here and you were there… well I would worry.” Harry said awkwardly, running his hand through his hair.

Draco didn’t respond to that other than a small nod in acceptance of what Harry was saying. He was thinking to himself as Harry carried on making the coffee. Harry was being so caring, was this auror Harry just treating him like a vulnerable citizen that needed protecting or was this just what Harry was like with his friends? Or was he doing this for Draco because of how much he cared for him? And if he did care that much then was it really just friendship?

Draco’s thoughts were interrupted by Harry once more. “Black coffee in the mornings or you want a latte or something?”

“Black coffee first thing is usually what I have. Thank you.” Draco said and then before he could stop himself he added cheekily. “One of those cinnamon things would be very welcome later though when we get back.”

Harry laughed. “You got it.” He passed him a mug of black coffee. “What do you want for breakfast?”

Draco wasn’t sure what he would have given the choice, it had been a while since he’d had a breakfast that wasn’t given to him by Blaise or Daphne and they didn’t give him a choice, he just was grateful for what he was given.

“What were you going to have?” He asked Harry.

“Probably toasted crumpets with butter, can’t beat it!” Harry said happily.

Draco had no idea what they were but so far Harry hadn't given him anything that wasn’t good. “I’ll have the same if that’s OK.” 

Then he hesitated slightly before he gave in to his urge. “Will you show me what you do in the kitchen from now on? Doesn’t have to be every time but bits and pieces here and there would be good. I want to learn how to cook and prepare food for myself.”

Harry seemed slightly surprised but pleased. “Sure, we can do things together, I’ll show you. Also there’s loads of recipe books and books with tips on cooking in the pantry so help yourself if you want to read those. Some are muggle but lots are from Hermione, Molly and Dromeda over the years so you might want to start with those. Charlie even got me one once, ‘The bachelor’s guide to feeding himself’ or some rubbish like that but think it was mainly a joke! Still, might be useful, just because I often cook the muggle way doesn’t mean you have to.”

“Thanks, I will definitely check them out.” Draco said smiling, he was hoping Harry would let him read the books he’d already spotted in the pantry.

*~*

After a delicious breakfast (Draco had added crumpets to the list of things he liked and they seemed very easy to prepare in the toast thingy) Harry turned to Draco with a more serious expression.

“Look,” He started carefully. “I was thinking a lot last night and I really would like your permission to tell the twins about your situation with Lucius. We don’t need to tell them everything but they’re really good guys Draco and they can help. I want to set up an alarm system in the shop and the twins being across the road all day and night are in a prime position to spot anything unusual in the street or in front of the shop. They can help us out by responding to the alarm if it’s triggered or they can alert us to anything suspicious when we’re not there..”

Draco thought for a moment. He had no desire to get anyone else involved in his personal life but he couldn’t argue with Harry’s logic. It would make him feel better if he knew someone was keeping an eye out on the shop when he wasn’t there.

“OK.” He agreed cautiously. “I have to admit that makes sense.”

Harry looked relieved. “Good, that was easier than I thought it would be.” He said smiling. “Not sure my next suggestion will go down as well though.”

Draco frowned at him. “What is it?”

“Well…” Harry said slowly. “The twins have a new shop assistant that they hired on a temporary basis when Fred was off. They don’t really have enough work for him now but I get the impression his personal life isn’t that great. George said he needs the salary so they feel like they should continue to employ him full time but really they struggle to fill his hours, I was thinking he might be able to help you out too, work between the two shops. Like maybe if you’re here on a Friday doing owl orders, he can work alongside Daphne so she’s not alone, restocking and stuff…”

“Also,” Harry continued. “I know he’s been looking for somewhere to live and it wouldn’t be a bad idea to have someone in your flat at night so it’s not empty. If he comes and goes a lot and loudly making it obvious that he lives there then we might be able to throw Lucius off the scent. If he knows you don’t live there he might leave the shop alone…” 

Annoyingly Harry did have a point again but Draco really didn’t want to get yet another person involved in this when they didn’t have to be. The twins had already known his identity for the best part of a year and had done nothing with the information. Also the fact that George and Daphne were sort of dating now, even if it was early stages, meant that Draco trusted him more and the man was further integrated into the group. 

“I see what you’re saying…” Draco started. “But I’m not sure how I feel about involving another person who doesn’t know me. I can’t trust this random shopkeeper, I mean who even is he?”

“Graham… something or other, begins with ‘P’ I’m pretty sure.” Harry said scratching his head as if trying to remember. “He was a Slytherin so you might know him, three years below us.”

“Pritchard?” Draco said blinking in surprise.

“Yeah that’s the one!” Harry said enthusiastically. “I don’t really know him but he seems like a good guy. Fred and George like him and they say he’s a really good worker. He’s really keen to impress and he wants to stay, think he’s had a tough time finding work since he left school. I doubt he’d care about the situation at all, he has a lot of respect for Fred and George and he wouldn’t do anything to jeopardise his job. He keeps his head down and just does what he’s asked so he wouldn’t bother you.”

Draco was thinking. He couldn’t believe how well things were piecing together all of a sudden, it almost didn’t seem real.

Harry was eyeing him carefully. “What are you thinking? Could you trust him?”

Draco nodded his head slowly. “You know I think I could. I don’t know him well but…” He trailed off thinking back to all those years ago.

“But?” Harry prompted.

Draco sighed. “Let’s just say you weren’t the only one to walk in on me crying during sixth year.”

Harry looked at him in a mixture of empathy and surprise. “Graham saw you…?”

Draco nodded again.

“What did he do?” Harry asked tentatively.

“Well he didn’t slash me open.” Draco said before he could help himself.

Harry suddenly looked like he was going to be sick. “Draco, I… I-”

“Relax Harry it’s fine.” Draco said quickly. “I shouldn’t have said it like that, you were just defending yourself. I tried to crucio you for Merlin’s sake.”

Harry was shaking his head and he looked very pale all of a sudden. “That wasn’t a defensive spell Draco. If I was defending myself I would have cast a shield charm or disarmed you or something. I used a spell that I had never even practised and I had no idea what it did, it was so stupid. All I knew was that it was for enemies, I wanted to hurt you but I- I- I never would have used it if I’d known… that is my biggest regret you know, that day…”

Harry had looked away from Draco and he seemed disgusted with himself, ashamed.

Draco reacted instinctively reaching over the table to place a delicate hand on top of Harry’s still lightly bandaged right hand.

“Harry it’s fine. I’m fine.” Draco said reassuringly. “If that’s the worst thing you’ve ever done in your life it still makes you a pretty good person. I was your enemy then and I had cast an unforgivable… I forgive you OK? If that’s what you need to hear, I forgave you straight away. Snape healed me, I was fine and it’s in the past.”

Harry looked back at Draco now with his big bright beautiful eyes. He nodded once but seemed unable to speak just yet. Draco carefully drew his hand away and then brought the conversation back round to Graham thinking a distraction for Harry was in order.

“Pritchard reacted in a very clever way doing what Slytherins do.” He smiled slightly.

The colour flooded back into Harry’s face. “What’s that?”

“He told me a secret.” Draco said simply.

Harry frowned. “I don’t understand…”

Draco laughed slightly. “No I wouldn’t expect you to, but Slytherins trade in secrets, it’s how it’s always worked. It’s true what they say you know, knowledge is power. If you know something about someone, something they wouldn’t want anyone else to know then you have a certain power over them. Pritchard saw me weak and vulnerable crying like a baby, we both knew what he could do with that knowledge given who I am, my social standing in the house. So he gave me back control by confessing something to me that he didn’t want anyone else to know. It was a good move. We both knew something about the other and we both knew we could keep our mouth shut about it unless we wanted our secret spilled. It was a kind of mutual respect situation.”

Harry was nodding slowly. “That does make sense actually... Does that mean you agree with my plan?”

Draco took a deep breath giving himself one last chance to think about it. “It’s a good plan Harry, all of it. Thank you, let’s do it.”

Harry smiled widely looking very pleased and Draco felt happy that he made Harry happy. He thought again that he’d agree to anything Harry said if it made him that happy.

“I am slightly concerned about how much time you had to think and plan last night though. I hope you still managed to get some sleep?” Draco asked casually. 

Harry flushed slightly and looked away. So the man hadn’t slept a wink then, he thought to himself. He decided to not push it further for now and said the other thing on his mind.

“There’s a slight problem in your plan though.” Draco said. “My flat is hardly in a habitable condition.”

“Don’t worry about that, we can get Dean and Seamus in, they did this place. They’re great.” Harry said confidently.

“Yes, they did the shop actually.” Draco replied.

“Really? Do they know who you are then?” Harry asked.

Draco shook his head. “No, I met them as Pierre. I didn’t know it would be them, Blaise made the appointment for me as he said they were the best but it worked out well, they are good. I couldn’t afford them for the flat as well though.”

“I’ll work out the finances. I have a plan but I’ll talk to you about it tonight.” Harry asked stubbornly.

Draco sighed. “I don’t have much choice so I guess whatever it is is fine. Just make it basic please, not too expensive. I can’t imagine Pritchard will mind it being basic if we’re giving him a free place to live… Also, I’ll pay you back for it in time so let me know how much it is. It still looks like I’ll be indebted to you forever though Harry.”

“Good.” Harry said smugly. “That means you’ll have to stick around in my life.”

Draco’s heart did a little flip. He couldn’t tell Harry how much he wanted to be part of his life. Instead he just smiled weakly and said nothing.

“Come on then.” Harry said. “Let’s go talk to Fred and George and put all the plans into action.”

*~*

Harry gave Draco his cloak to apparate under just in case and then went first to the back of the Weasley shop. Harry walked straight in the back door which Draco was surprised about but then maybe that was acceptable for him and his friends.

It was around half nine at this point so the shop was already open but the door to it was closed so Draco thought it would be safe for him to come out from under the cloak. Afterall, it was highly unlikely that Lucius or his mother would be shopping in the Weasleys joke shop. 

The twin with shorter hair which Draco knew to be Fred (it was easier to tell them apart now George can grown his hair to cover his missing ear) came from the shop to check out who had just arrived. Fred didn’t seem surprised to see Harry but did raise his eyebrows slightly at the sight of Draco, although not in an unwelcoming way.

“Hey Harry.” Fred said, stepping forward to give the man a hug which Harry returned.

“Draco.” Fred said, giving a friendly nod.

“Morning.” Draco said, giving a nod back.

“What brings you fine gentleman here this morning and together no less.” Fred said curiously. 

“We were kind of hoping to talk to you guys actually.” Harry said. “If you’re busy then it can just be one of you.”

Fred shrugged. “Verity will be fine in the shop for a bit I’m sure. George is just doing a stock check with Graham but it doesn’t really need two of them. Go on up and I’ll grab him.”

“Cheers.” Harry said and then he automatically moved to the door marked private which Draco had always assumed led to their flat. 

Watching Harry treat this place like it’s his home, Draco thought it was no wonder Harry had made himself at home at Draco’s place. Clearly this was how his friendships usually operated.

Draco followed Harry up the stairs into the twins flat. Despite all the times he’d been in the building for business meetings it felt wrong to be up here in their home. If he wasn’t careful he’d end up being friends with the twins… or maybe they already were.

Harry automatically sat down on the sofa. Draco hovered for a second, there seemed to only be three seats and he wasn’t sure whether to take one or not. Maybe he should stand and let the twins sit.

Fred and George wandered into the flat and George sunk into the armchair. Fred addressed Draco.

“Sit down then man.” He said in a light hearted way and gestured towards the space on the sofa.

George chucked Fred a cushion from his chair and Fred sat down on the floor with it. Draco still stood awkwardly though until Harry grabbed his arm and pulled him down onto the sofa next to him. It took Draco by surprise and he almost ended up in Harry’s lap. He coughed and mumbled an apology and then scooted right so there was a respectable distance between them.

George started the conversation once they were all seated. “How’s your hand Harry?” he said with genuine concern.

“Yeah it’s loads better.” Harry said. “Still a slight open wound but I reckon it would have fully closed by tomorrow, bandages are just precaution really at this point.”

“I’m impressed, they look neat.” George said with a faint tone of amusement and a raised eyebrow.

“Kreacher did it.” Harry mumbled embarrassed, causing the twins to laugh.

“Can you do magic yet?” Fred asked grinning.

Harry did a kind of ‘half’ gesture. “Wandless magic still makes it hurt but I can grip my wand no problem-”

“Good to know.” Fred said interrupting him with a wink. “Wouldn’t want your ‘wand’ to suffer!”

“Merlin.” Harry muttered before turning to Draco. “Sorry about these two immature idiots, you can’t mention wands or wood around here without them making it into some sort of innuendo.”

“Anyway, we did actually want to talk to you for a serious reason you know!” Harry said in a mock annoyed voice, turning back to the twins.

Fred held his hands up in a surrender like pose. “Sorry, sorry, I can be serious.”

“What’s up?” George said, actually looking serious.

“Well…” Harry started before turning back to Draco. “Shall I…?” He questioned.

Draco gave him a nod and said nothing. He still didn’t feel quite comfortable here and would rather be a bystander to this conversation.

“OK.” Harry said. “You know Draco moved out of the Manor to start his own business at the beginning of September obviously but what you don’t know is that Lucius tried to force him to stay and has been looking for him ever since. I don’t want to go into details, that’s for Draco to share with who he chooses but he has agreed to allow his friends to help and well that includes you guys if you’re happy to.”

“Of course.” Fred and George said instinctively at exactly the same time. The twins looked at each other and smiled then turned back to Draco and Harry. “What do you need us to do?”

Draco was amazed that they were just willing to help no questions asked. He figured it was probably because Harry was asking, they trusted Harry and would probably follow him into anything, the man was a leader no matter that he said. Still he was grateful.

“Thank you.” He said simply to the twins before Harry could answer them.

Harry smiled at Draco fondly and then turned back to Fred and George and launched into the plan. “Firstly, you can just keep an eye out from here, you’re in a great position to see anything suspicious so just let one of us know if you do. Narcissa was in the shop yesterday asking questions so we think that Lucius sent her and they may be aware that Draco runs the business now. Also he may try to get to Draco through Daphne.”

Draco noticed that George suddenly sat up straighter and looked more fierce. “He can try.” The man practically growled.

It was then that Draco saw a hint of the man who had fought in the war and lost an ear in battle. It was easy to forget that when the prankster persona was how people usually saw George. 

“We can give her some products to keep behind the counter to use in an emergency.” Fred said with a smirk, then he made eye contact with Draco and gave him a bit of a knowing look. “Peruvian darkness powder can be quite useful can’t it?!” 

Draco flushed slightly with guilt. Harry seemed to notice.

“Be nice Fred.” He warned.

“What?! I’m always nice!” Fred said in mock offence.

“So you just want us to keep an eye out and report anything suspicious?” George asked in a serious tone ignoring his brother’s jokes for once.

“More or less.” Harry said. “I was going to set up an alarm system we use in aurors when we’re monitoring or scouting areas. It’s a subtle one that won’t alert anyone else around or the person who is trying to break it or whatever, that way we can get the element of surprise. Basically there’s a band that you can wear on your wrist or ankle and it will glow hot when the area under surveillance is triggered by something unusual but no one but you would notice it. You can charm the band to be triggered by a person if you speak their name into it when it’s set up and it also acts as a sort of sneakoscope. In addition to it being automatically triggered you can press it too if you notice something and all the others in that group will glow hot so it’s a good way for us all to communicate with each other if we need help. Say if Narcissa or Lucius turn up at the shop again, during work hours Daphne can subtly press her band under the counter and we can all be there in no time or if Graham hears something odd at night he can press his.”

Draco was looking at Harry in awe, that was genius. Harry hadn’t gone into details about the alarm system back at Grimmauld but Draco thought this plan was really good and he was reminded how lucky he was to be friends with an ex-auror. Maybe the aurors could be useful after all then.

“What’s Graham got to do with this?” George asked.

“Oh yeah, forgot I hadn’t mentioned that part of the plan.” Harry said. “You said he was looking for a place to live right? Well I was thinking he could move into Draco’s flat above the shop. If he agrees then we’re hoping to get him to come and go quite obviously so if Lucius is watching the place then he’ll realise Draco doesn’t live there and then might stop him from targeting the shop. Of course, it’s Lucius so the man might still want to attack it just to spite Draco but I’m going to check out the security today and see if I can strengthen it. I’m confident it will still be safe for Graham to live there and Daphne to work there but I’ll chat with both of them to make sure.”

“So where does Draco live now?” Fred asked Harry with a raised eyebrow.

Draco noticed that Harry flushed slightly and seems to think that Harry and Fred were having a silent conversation in their heads.

“With me.” Harry said simply and then avoided Fred’s eye.

Draco saw Fred’s expression looked positively gleeful and he had a slight twinkle in his eye. He glanced at his twin and even George, who had looked quite serious until now, had a little smug smile on his face.

“Interesting.” The twins said simultaneously.

That is interesting, thought Draco. Almost like they knew something he didn’t… What has Harry said to them about him he wondered.

Harry coughed and then brought the conversation back around. “I was thinking that Draco could offer the flat to Graham for free in exchange for part time help around his job and then you guys can drop Graham to part time here without feeling guilty that you’re leaving him with half the income. If he doesn’t have to pay rent anywhere then he’ll still be financially better off. You guys can work out which days you each want him between you all.”

George was nodding. “Yeah that works and I think he’ll go for it. I know him the best if you want me to run it by him first?”

Harry turned to Draco to answer that. Draco nodded. “Yes please George that would be good, thanks. Don’t tell him who I am yet please in case he says no to the whole idea. Let us know what he says and if he’s agreeable to it then I’ll meet with him as myself, he deserves to know the risks involved with my… background and Harry can talk to him about the security.”

Fred was looking backwards and forwards from Harry to Draco with a satisfied look on his face. “Looks like you’ve thought of everything Harry huh?” He asked.

Harry blushed in a way that Draco thought was very cute. Maybe Harry really was doing this all for him, was that what Fred was implying? Draco didn’t know anyone would care about him this much to go to all this trouble.

Harry ignored Fred and carried on the conversation. “I’ll need to nick some bands from the Ministry though but it will be easy, I can duplicate them so no one notices they’re missing. I’ll think of an excuse to drop by and see Ron at lunch and slip them into my pocket then. I was going to get seven, one for each of us plus Daphne, Blaise and Graham.”

Draco frowned at Harry. “I don’t want you to risk getting in trouble.”

“I won’t.” Harry shrugged slightly arrogantly, all though Draco didn’t really think he had an arrogant bone in his body. He used to, but that was before he knew him better.

“Yeah Draco, he won’t. Even if he’d got caught the Ministry would probably just ask him what else he wanted to take.” Fred laughed. 

“Ron would be pissed though. You know he’d want to help with this.” George pointed out.

Harry sighed. “I know but…” He glanced at Draco as he trailed off.

Draco shifted awkwardly in his seat but the others seemed to understand why Draco didn’t want Ronald involved and they didn’t push the matter. 

“Right, anyway we won’t take up any more of your time. Thanks so much for this guys.” Harry said standing up.

“No problem, it’s quite exciting to be part of an adventure again!” Fred said jokingly. “I’ll round up some products that might come in useful Draco and I’ll drop them by first thing tomorrow just before you open up? Or maybe George will so he has an excuse to see Daphne!” 

George flushed slightly but nodded at no one in particular then he looked at Draco. “Is- er, is Daphne OK? We’ve been writing, I know her Grandmother died but I haven’t seen her since last Thursday and erm, well I want to give her space but I want her to know I’m here, if she needs...”

“She was quiet yesterday, I know she was close to her Grandmother and will miss her very much but she is strong, she’ll be fine.” Draco answered. “I will floo call her later anyway to update her on our plans so I will pass on your best regards. You’re always welcome to stop by the shop of course. I have a feeling we’ll all be seeing more of one another from now on anyway. I’m learning to open up to people and let them in more so I’d be honoured to count you both amongst my friends rather than just business partners.”

Fred and George exchanged a mischievous look and Draco worried what that meant until suddenly he was completely surrounded by long limbs and red hairs and they both hugged him at the same time. 

“Will. You. Get. off. Me.” He spoke through gritted teeth as he tried to wriggle his way free, they were stronger than they looked.

Reluctantly they let him go and he turned to face Harry who was laughing hard. “Well I’m glad you found that amusing.” He said indignantly. “Come on, some of us have actually got work to do today!”

Draco walked down the stairs first embarrassed at his stupid speech about friendship and mortified by the group hug situation. That was not something he wanted to repeat even though there was an insecure part of him that was happy at the thought of having two new friends. He secretly quite liked Fred and George and he thought the three new additions to his little silver trio over the last month in the form of Harry and the twins were welcome ones. He felt so lucky to have his little group around him now helping him out. 

Harry, Fred and George all came down behind him laughing and then George said goodbye as he went to go find Graham in the storage room. Fred was about to go back into the shop when Harry called out asking for a shield cloak. Fred popped into the shop to grab one and then chucked it to Harry from the door. He winked at them both and then returned to work. 

Harry passed the cloak to Draco. “Here, like I said, it’s not as good as mine but it will still help. Keep it until it wears off and then ask Fred and George to recharm it for you, they’re brilliant at it. You can still borrow mine when I’m not using it but I’m going to take it with me to the Ministry just in case so I can get these bands.”

“I really don’t want you to get in trouble with the Ministry because of this.” Draco said worryingly.

“Relax, last time I stole something from the Ministry it was fifty times more dangerous.” Harry laughed. “At least I can show my face in there now.”

“Do I want to know what you were stealing before and when?” Draco asked with a raised eyebrow.

Harry grinned. “We broke into the Ministry during the war and stole a necklace right from Umbridge’s neck in the middle of her conducting a trial.”

Draco was left standing there in disbelief as Harry opened the back door and walked out.

“Come on.” Harry called back. “I thought you had work to do!”

*~*

It only took them about an hour to get everything that Draco needed to do his work from the shop back to Grimmauld Place. He still kept his office mostly the same for the sake of his clients but he took anything valuable out just in case making sure the certificates and his potions accolades were all copies, the originals he would keep at Harry’s. He just wanted to be sure that if Lucius did somehow manage to get into the building then there would be as few possessions as possible that he could destroy. The most important things were his notes, journals and recipe books with all his formulas in. Ratios and instructions that he’d fined tuned over years and has to keep safe. If he lost those he’d have to start over from scratch with all his products.

He kept the shop stocked up, he didn’t want his customers to notice anything different but he moved all his spare stock from the storeroom to Grimmauld Place in case the shop front got ransacked, then at least he’d have some products left. He would have to still be here on Tuesdays and Thursdays of course to meet with clients but he was hoping he could work the rest of the week from Harry’s. The man was right, he would be safer at Grimmauld Place and Draco had to admit the prospect of brewing safely at Harry’s appealed to him much more than being here. He no longer felt safe here and that was a big thing for him. He no longer felt safe at Blaise’s or Daphne’s, the only place he felt safe was at Harry’s house. Also, with Harry at his side it was even better. 

A talk with Daphne was definitely in order. Draco owed it to her to make sure she would be happy with the changes. He would floo her later and discuss it all and then maybe they could meet Graham tomorrow over lunch after he’d had a chat with George. Draco definitely didn’t like the idea of Daphne being alone in the shop of course and he didn’t want her to think he was abandoning him but if Graham could work at the shop with Daphne on the days Draco wasn't there then that would work out well. To be fair, on the days where Draco usually brewed downstairs all day and Daphne ran the shop, they hardly ever saw each other anyway so he didn’t think she’d mind. If Harry managed to get these bands set up then at least he’d feel safer knowing he’d be alerted immediately if something was going on.

He wasn’t quite sure how much he could get Graham to do at the shop to fill three days. There was plenty of work that wasn’t the problem, the problem for Draco would be delegating and letting go of control in a few areas. Hopefully the man was good with potions and Draco could trust him to do some of the most basic brewing in the cellar downstairs whilst he did the complicated stuff at Grimmauld. It would take a while for Draco to trust him completely but he’d start him off small and test everything he made before he’d allow it to be sold and then take it from there. At least he knew from George that Graham could do stock checks and accounts well enough. Draco hated those, they were boring so having someone manage the paperwork might be nice. He had to admit getting some help would be good as his workload was piling up. Then he would have some time to work on the book with Harry.

Draco had gone upstairs too to vanish everything in sight after the way he’d left the flat and now it was a completely blank canvas for them to make it into a proper flat for Graham. If he accepted it of course. Draco went back to Grimmauld Place and started making the potions lab and then empty office space Harry had given him his own. After that he got to work making the orders that had come in from his meetings yesterday. It felt so good to be brewing and creating again in a safe space where he knew Lucius would never find him. He was good at what he did, he enjoyed it and his customers loved his creations. Lucius could never take this away from him.

Harry said he could come back later but he was going to contact Dean and Seamus to get the flat sorted as soon as possible and then pop into the Ministry. He also said he said something to sort out but he didn’t tell Draco what it was and Draco didn’t ask, Harry was entitled to some privacy after all. Harry was gone for much longer than Draco thought he’d be but it didn’t really matter as he was able to just focus on his brewing which was going very well now he felt so relaxed. Kreacher popped into the potions lab at four o’clock to tell him that Harry was in the kitchen and wanted to speak to Draco if it was convenient. Fortunately Draco was at a good place to pause what he was doing so he went to go find him.

As he came into the kitchen he saw Harry sitting at the table with what looked like the latte thing he’d made for Draco last week, a coffee for himself and a box of chocolate eclairs. Draco smiled, if this is what it was going to be like every day living with Harry then he really might never leave. Draco didn’t always like it when people bought stuff for him but somehow knowing that Harry had gone out to buy his favourite felt much less like charity and more like just being treated. He found that he very much wouldn’t mind being spoilt by this man who he just happened to have a massive crush on.

“You got me eclairs.” He said fondly. “As if you haven’t done enough for me today.”

“I like doing things for you Draco.” Harry said with such sincerity that it made Draco’s heart ache with desire.

Draco sat down at the table next to Harry and smiled even more as that heavenly smell of cinnamon and coffee wafted up his nose. He took a long sip of the drink and sighed with contentment which made Harry’s smile grow even wider. Merlin, he looked handsome when he smiled like that. Draco was still determined not to be the one to make the first move but he’d be lying if he said he didn’t want to work out once and for all what Harry’s feelings towards him were.

Harry looked at Draco enjoying his coffee and seemed happy.

“By the way I’m out tonight. I have dinner with Dromeda and Teddy on Wednesdays just so you know but Kreacher will make you anything you want and I’ve told him to make sure you do eat.” Harry said in a slightly amused way. “He’ll moan at you so much until you eat just to shut him up, trust me.”

Draco laughed at that slightly and then frowned as he remembered something. “Don’t you usually pick Teddy up from school on Wednesdays too though?”

“I told Dromeda I couldn’t today, she’ll be fine about it and I’ll make it up to Teddy when I see him. I picked up a few things from the twins he’ll love! I was going to go soon after catching up with you first so I can still spend time with him before dinner.” Harry’s eyes were sparkling even more than usual at the thought of seeing his Godson, he must really love him, thought Draco.

Harry broke their eye contact to take a small sip of his own coffee which was black and strong as always. Draco noticed that Harry now looked slightly nervous.

“Anyway, back to talking about doing things for you…” He started but then trailed off awkwardly.

Suddenly Draco was on edge again. “Harry, what have you done?” He said quietly in a slightly low warning tone.

Draco watched as Harry took a deep breath and then started talking. “I know money is a sensitive issue and I really don’t want it to come between us. I completely respect how you feel and I would never just give you money as I know you would see it as charity. I get that, Ron used to tell me the same thing but I ran this idea past Blaise and he seemed to think it was a good one.”

“OK…” Draco said slowly and then waited for Harry to continue. He had no idea what he was going to say but Blaise knew more than anyone how Draco felt about being given money now so if he thought this was a good idea then maybe it was worth hearing Harry out.

Harry seemed to see this as permission to carry on. “Well technically I haven’t given you any money, but I did go to Gringotts to add your name to the Black family vault. They were happy to grant you access no questions asked because you are legally a Black.”

Draco was stunned for a moment. He couldn’t believe Harry would do that for him. A month ago he was fuming that Harry had been given the Black house and the Black family inheritance which he thought was rightfully his, yet here he was being invited by Harry to share it all with him.

When Draco hadn’t said anything, Harry spoke again. He still looked nervously but he seemed to take it as an encouraging sign that Draco hadn’t shouted.

“Really I’ve never seen that vault as my money, I never use it and I honestly think you have every right to it. Blaise and the Goblins seemed to agree.” Harry’s voice was gaining confidence the more he spoke. “So you see, this money is yours already really as much as it is mine. I didn’t earn this money, it was just given to me and it's not your fault that Lucius would disinherit you for not living life how he wanted. I know you want to earn your own money and that’s great, carry on doing that, run the business, pay yourself a salary when you can and watch the money in your vaults go up. Then you can use the money you’ve earned to treat the people who have helped you out or invest it and get more money, do whatever you want with it.”

“I was thinking about what you said yesterday about paying for food here…” Harry continued. “I thought maybe you’d feel better if we use the Black family vault to pay for everything to do with the house, that way it’s like we’re both paying for it. I’d like it if you used the money to buy yourself whatever you needed in terms of clothes and stuff too but I understand it if you don’t and I won't nag you about it… but well it’s there now and anything that benefits both us we’ll use that vault for. The only other thing you should be aware of is that there is a monthly transfer from that vault to Dromeda’s vault to help her out with raising Teddy and so she can put some aside for when he’s older. I’d like that to continue obviously, there’s more than enough money in there for that and I feel like they both deserve it. It’s their families money too after all, Dromeda got cut off from it all when she married Ted.”

“Of course that should continue Harry, that’s very generous and fair.” Draco said quietly, still too stunned to process what this meant for him.

Harry waited for Draco to say more or give a reaction but when he didn’t he carried on again. “I’ve already told Dean and Seamus to invoice that vault for the work on the flat. They’re coming Friday by the way… and I thought we could use it to get some owls here because I know it’s kind of a business expense but truthfully I could use an owl, I never replaced mine and well… it’s time…”

Harry trailed off and looked at Draco cautiously.

“Draco please say something… Are you mad at me? Did I overstep?” He asked worriedly.

Draco shook his head slowly. 

“No… No I’m not mad, I’m- I’m speechless…” He started speaking in a quiet voice looking down at the kitchen table. He tried to gather the confidence to express himself honestly but it was still a new thing for him. When he spoke again his voice was louder but still shaky. 

“I- I- I knew that you would help me because you’re a good person but I- I- never expected you to do so much… to care so much… it’s more than anyone has ever done for me in my life…” He said with raw emotion. He refused to meet Harry’s eyes because he knew he would cry.

The tears wouldn’t be sad tears, they would be happy tears, it was just all a bit overwhelming right now.

Then he felt the familiar warmth of the slight rough skin of Harry’s hand rest gently over the top of his and give it a little squeeze. Without realising it Draco lifted his head to look into Harry’s eyes. What he saw there was enough to make his heart stop beating. He saw genuine care and he wasn’t sure if anyone had ever looked at him the way Harry was right now.

“I do care Draco...” Harry said calmly. 

Then he added in a voice that was so soft Draco wasn’t sure later if he’d imagined it or if the words had really left Harry’s mouth. 

“... more than you know.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Draco is doing so well at opening up his world to people and trusting his new little group! Who else is proud of him?!  
> And hope you liked the little sexual tension moment at the beginning of the chapter and the little romantic moment at the end!
> 
> Who do you think will make the first move and when?  
> And will they EVER get this god damn book written?!


	21. Harry: Thursday 13th October

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Harry and Draco had a bit of a serious chat over breakfast where they talk about Harry's issues for once.  
> Then Harry waits for Draco to come home and when he does he brings a gift with him!  
> In the evening they finally have time to talk about the book.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Lots of Harry and Draco moments here enjoy!  
> Some deep conversations and some fin stuff thrown in cos that's just what I do!  
> Enjoy the muggle references ;)
> 
> *Small edit to this chapter as I remembered Draco's shop is closed on Wednesdays so he wouldn't need Graham.

Harry still hadn’t gotten used to the fact that there was someone else sleeping in the house now. It definitely helped make the house feel less empty but somehow Harry still couldn’t bring himself to go to bed. He had tried but it still felt too big, too empty and too quiet for him. He preferred the cosiness of the sofa and the noise of the TV in the background. He would drift in and out of sleep here but he couldn’t shake the notion that if he fell asleep too deeply then the nightmares would come back so it was only ever a light fitful kind of sleep.

He didn’t go for a run Thursday morning. He’d only really gone that early on Wednesday as he was sick of the hours going so slowly waiting for Draco to get up and he wanted something to do with himself. His muscles were suffering from the hard run after a short break today though, he hadn’t lied to Draco when he said he’d pushed himself. He dragged his aching body up from the sofa when he heard Draco coming down the stairs and quickly hurried into the kitchen to look busy. He wanted Draco to think he’d been down here for a while, not that he'd sleep down here because he was too pathetic to sleep in his own bed. Casting a quick freshening charm on himself but not really caring much that he was still in his pajamas, he started to make the coffee as he did every morning thinking about how nice it was to make it for two.

“Morning.” Came Draco’s familiar voice that filled Harry with warmth every time he heard it now.

“Morning.” Harry replied, turning round to smile at him as he walked through the door.

Draco was wearing the same smart outfit that Harry knew him to wear as Pierre again except the cravat was different. He looked good and seemed happy, well rested.

“Did you sleep well?” Harry asked politely.

“Yes thanks.” Draco said with a smile. “I don’t think I’ll ever have trouble sleeping here.”

That warmed Harry’s heart too. It was nice to think he was providing Draco with a place to properly rest and be well looked after, he deserved that. 

“Good. I’m pleased.” Harry said genuinely. 

He turned his attention back to the french press he was making and spoke to Draco over his shoulder trying to sound casual. “So was it just the mattress before keeping you from sleeping, you know, at the flat?”

“It was primarily that, at least at first. I am quite sensitive I suppose and I don’t exactly have much natural cushioning so I could feel every lump, plus the sheets were quite scratchy.” Harry heard Draco say from behind him. His voice seemed quite normal at first but when Draco spoke again there was a certain vulnerability to it. 

“I think I also just never quite felt safe there though and it was getting to me more and more even before Mother came to the shop. We all have our ways of coping... I don’t take potions but I- I meditate before bed routinely. I’m very strict about it, it’s the only way I can block out the negative stuff in my brain before I sleep. The trouble is it’s most effective if I’m in a calm, safe space to begin with so as time went on it was becoming more difficult for me to soothe my mind before bed in the flat. This room here… it’s just so nice and relaxing I can’t tell you what that does for me. Plus I had another bath last night while you were out and that really helps too.” Draco finished softly as Harry turned back around to face him.

He passed Draco a mug of black coffee he’d just poured and took one for himself too as was their new morning routine. He eyed Draco carefully and thought about his words as he leaned up against the kitchen counter and took a sip. 

“That’s good that you have a healthy method of blocking it out.” He said quietly as he took another sip even though the coffee was too hot to drink yet really.

“I can show you, if- if you want. It might help you...” Draco said tentatively and as Harry looked at him again he saw the worry in Draco’s eyes. Was that look for him? Was Draco really worrying about him?

“Is like occlumency?” Harry asked. “Because I was really rubbish at that!”

“Yes it is essentially the same principle but also mixed with some muggle meditation techniques I picked up in France.” Draco answered back.

Harry shrugged. “Well we can give it a go if you think it might help. I obviously look bad enough for you to guess that I had very little sleep so I guess there is no use pretending otherwise.”

Draco smiled at him with a cheeky smile. “I’ve always been able to read you Potter, don’t you know that by now?”

When Draco said it name like that there was a hint of the old school boy rivalry they once had although now it just seemed like an amusing memory to Harry rather than a painful one. Draco’s whole expression and body language was so friendly to him now that it couldn’t be seen as anything other than playful.

“Yes, I suppose you have.” He said back at Draco fondly. “It’s really annoying!”

Draco laughed slightly. “You wear your heart on your sleeve so your emotions and your moods are easy to see. It’s not a bad thing. I’ve spent my life around people who always tried to hide behind a mask and taught me I should do the same so I like it, I find it refreshing.” 

The tone Draco used was light but Harry knew the meaning and the pain behind those words. He couldn’t help himself from saying “You don’t ever have to hide behind a mask with me Draco.”

Soft grey eyes that held a smile looked back at him. “I know.” Draco said simply.

Suddenly the air felt heavy again as it often did when Harry got swept away in these little moments with Draco. It had happened yesterday too before he’d gone to see Teddy. Harry wondered for the millionth time if inviting a man he fancied to live with him was a good idea but he wasn’t going to tell Draco to leave now when he’d confessed how safe and happy he felt here. In fact, Harry was rather hoping that Draco might never leave.

“Erm breakfast!” Harry said suddenly snapping them both out of their soft little trance. 

“Your turn to make it today.” He said cheerfully as he strolled right past Draco and went to sit at the kitchen table expectantly.

“Oh right.” Draco said quickly standing up straighter and focusing himself as if a big task was expected of him.

“Do you want those crumpy things again?” He asked so seriously that Harry couldn’t help but laugh.

“You mean crumpets?” He said with a smile and watched Draco flush slightly with embarrassment. “Well you know how to use the toaster so the principle is the same for anything. I stocked up at the bakery yesterday so we now have bread and bagels too if you’d prefer those.”

“Oh I love bagels.” Draco said and his face lit up like a little boy at Christmas. Harry marvelled again at how expressive Draco was when he didn’t have his barriers up. “They’re Daphne’s favourite with cream cheese and smoked salmon.” The man continued.

“Well I think there is cream cheese in the fridge but no salmon I’m afraid.” Harry spoke up from the table as he watched Draco get the plates and other things out. 

“That’s OK, just butter is fine.” Draco said as he got the bagels out of the bread bin and used his wand to cut them in half perfectly.

Harry watched on in amusement as Draco carefully put the bagels in the toaster and pressed the lever down so gently from as far away as he could manage as if the whole thing would blow up in his face if he got too close. 

Draco then seemed to relax a little when they were in and summoned his coffee with his wand to sip on it as they toasted. He was clearly an expert in non-verbal magic as his lips hadn’t even twitched but Harry did find it strange sometimes to see other wizards use their wands for simple everyday things. He just took it for granted now that he didn’t have to. His right hand was completely healed now and he’d already tested his magic a few times today to find it back to full strength and pain free.

He watched as Draco buttered the toasted bagels the muggle way with a knife and then returned the butter to the fridge still looking at the muggle appliance slightly cautiiously. It was funny to see him use magic on some things but then copy Harry exactly on other things. Draco picked up his coffee mug and one of the plates and then frowned at the other one. Then remembered again that he was a wizard but he had to put down what he was holding to get his wand.

Harry got there first though stretching out his right hand and summoning the second plate. It came flying towards him effortlessly at the perfect speed and he managed to set it down on the table in front of him in a very controlled manner.

“Show off.” Were the words that came from Draco’s mouth causing him to look up again.

Draco, having not had the time to draw his wand properly anyway, had picked up his mug and plate again and was walking over to the table.

“Sorry.” Harry said with slight guilt. “I wasn’t trying to show off but I’m trying to practice my wandless magic a lot this morning now I can use my right hand again fully.”

“Wandless magic” Draco said to himself shaking his head slightly in disbelief as he sat down opposite Harry.

“Of course you have wandless magic, so typical.” Draco continued in a humorous tone but then looked slightly serious. He paused before he spoke again and his voice had the tone where it was trying hard to be casual but it was something he desperately wanted to know. “Can I ask you something though? About what happened at Daphne’s that night at dinner…? You seemed to lose control of it, I’ve never seen an adult do accidental magic like that.”

Harry sighed. Of course Draco would want to know that, he’d be curious about it too if he was him. Draco had shared so much with him that how could Harry not share things back, he didn’t want Draco to think he was the only messed up man living in this house, because he certainly wasn’t.

“You said it earlier, I’ve always shown my emotions and that is true in my magic as well, the two are very strongly linked I guess.” Harry started. “I’ve always had anger issues, I don’t need to tell you that… I had periods where I felt like my anger was right at the surface and I was just about keeping it away but it was ready to bubble up at any moment… you always knew how to drew it out of me… fifth year was pretty bad I was pretty angsty.”

“Yeah… I’m sorry for baiting you like I used to. I enjoyed getting a rise out of you but I feel a bit bad about that now.” Draco mumbled as Harry paused.

Harry shrugged. “Sometimes I think I liked it, I antagonised you too knowing you’d come back at me with full force, sometimes it just felt good to feel something and blame you for the cause of my anger. It was always bigger than just you though.”

Draco smiled at him ever so slightly. “And here I was thinking I was the centre of your universe. I’m almost offended!”

There was the humour he liked so much from Draco, he always seemed to know what to say and how to make Harry feel better. It was probably why he could open up to him in the same way he had with the twins. Except he was telling Draco more than he’d ever told them. Draco had seen more than them at school, they hadn’t always been there. In a way Draco had always been at the centre of it all. He seemed to almost prefer Draco’s sense of humour now too. It was a witty, dry, clever sense of humour but it seemed to suit the conversations they had more than Fred and George’s fun distracting kind.

“Sorry to break it to you but Voldy was always worse than you.” Harry replied which made Draco snort a bit.

Harry didn’t say that maybe Draco could be the centre of his universe in a different way, he kept that thought to himself. He’d already mumbled that he cared about Draco more than he knew yesterday. He couldn’t be sure if Draco had heard it or not and he didn’t even know whether it would be a good thing or a bad thing if he had. All he knew was that he didn’t want to ruin this friendship if Draco didn’t feel the same way about him, that would be awful. Draco would probably move out and then he wouldn’t feel safe again anywhere else.

Harry forced his mind back to the present where Draco was eating his bagels but looking at Harry like he expected him to continue.

“Anyway, my magic has always been strong but I’ve never felt like I’ve had that much control over it. I’m not book smart, I always found it difficult to learn spells from theory but when it came to actually doing them in the moment, if I needed a spell to work then it would just work… it would always be tied into how I felt at that time though. Does that make sense?” He said to Draco wondering if he was just talking nonsense.

“Actually…” Draco started thoughtfully. “Now that I think about it that makes perfect sense for you. So when your emotions get out of control your magic does too?”

Harry nodded. “It became... problematic at work. It’s why I left really.” He added quietly.

“I can imagine.” Said Draco seriously, then he frowned for a moment and asked “When did you first know you could do wandless magic?”

“I always thought I might be able to…” Harry started slowly. “There was this one time, the summer after fourth year during a dementor attack where I dropped my wand on the ground. It was pitch black and I couldn’t see it anywhere but my cousin was heading straight to the dementor unable to see it so I knew I needed my wand. In a desperate attempt I just said ‘lumos’ thinking it would do nothing but I just had to try something… anyway about a foot away my wand lit up perfectly on the ground. I know it’s only a simple spell but still…”

“You did wandless magic at 15?” Draco asked with a raised eyebrow.

“Guess so, if that counts…” Harry said awkwardly.

“Oh it counts.” Draco said half impressed, half jealous. 

“I didn’t really have time to process it then but I thought about it afterwards and I tried to do it again on purpose and I could never manage it.” Harry tried to explain. 

“Because you didn’t need to, your emotions weren’t pushing your magic into making it happen.” Draco finished the thought for him.

Harry shrugged. “Something like that I guess, I don’t know the theory of how it works.”

“But now you can do controlled wandless magic, I’ve seen you and it looks effortless.” Draco pointed out. 

Harry nodded again. “Yeah I can now, as long as I’m in the right frame of mind then everyday stuff around the house is pretty easy but it wasn’t always and sometimes even now I lose control of it. I did have to work hard at it in the beginning too.”

“When was that?” Draco asked.

“When I joined the aurors really, straight after the war.” Harry started. “I didn’t really have much time to think about stuff or practise during the war, I just did what I had to when I had to it, but there was a time, after my wand broke, that I felt really lost. I felt so powerless without it, so vulnerable I couldn’t see how I could possibly defeat Riddle without it. It was partly because of the power of the twin cores, but it was more than that, my wand was my weapon and I couldn’t channel my magic through another one in the same way, my attempts were pathetic. Then of course I won yours from you, sorry about that, but it worked surprisingly well for me, almost as good as mine.”

“I’m pleased it worked for you, I can’t say I liked being rid of it but Mother’s worked fine for me and there is something amazing about the fact that my wand defeated Riddle even if I wasn't the one to wield it.” Draco said with fascination. 

“Yeah it is pretty cool I suppose.” Harry said smiling. “I told you we both played our parts.”

“Well thanks for giving it back at the trial.” Draco said quietly. “I’m not sure I ever thanked you properly.”

“No need.” Harry said genuinely. “It would have been really selfish and wrong of me to keep it, I mended mine by then.”

“How did you mend yours and why did mine work so well for you?” Draco asked.

“Both good questions but for another time. There’s a story there.” Harry said smiling.

“Isn’t there always?” Draco muttered fondly.

“Anyway.” Harry said getting back on track. “I never wanted to feel vulnerable again and you wouldn’t believe how many times I dropped my wand during field training with the aurors, it was kind of embarrassing really. So I started thinking more about wandless magic again for the first time in ages. I knew I had the potential to do it because I’d kind of already done it but I wanted to do it deliberately. I started with the summoning spell, I thought if I could wandlessly summon my wand then I’d never worry about not having it. It was like practising for the first trial in fourth year again, I just tried over and over again but nothing happened. Every now and then it would move a bit towards me and one time it flew across the room but I couldn’t ever do it properly.”

Harry paused trying to remember the details properly and then continued. “Until one time, it was mine and Ron’s first official field mission after the initial training and we were going after a tip off we’d had about Macnair, he was still on the run at the time. It’s a long story but eventually we cornered him at the end of this street but I’d let my defenses down and he disarmed me. My wand went flying towards him but he didn’t have time to catch it as Ron had attacked him so it just landed on the floor. Next thing I know he sent this rope around Ron’s neck and he was hanging by a lamppost. It all happened so quickly but I didn’t think I just acted. I put my hand out to summon my wand and it just came to me perfectly. Macnair was about to attack me and I knew I had to save myself in order to save Ron but Ron was literally being strangled and his wand was on the ground. So I put my left hand out to Ron just willing the rope to be cut but not even looking at him just trusting that my magic would work and I attacked Macnair with my wand in my right hand at the same time. I didn’t even know if it was possible but that’s what I needed to happen so it just did.”

“Wow.” Draco said after a few seconds of dramatic silence. He was thinking it over. “So only the second time you ever did wandless magic you did it with your non-dominant hand at the same time as another spell?”

“I guess so.” Harry said, slightly uncomfortable with the awe in Draco’s voice. 

“And from then on?” Draco prompted.

“From then on I knew I could do it, so whenever we were in the field and I needed to I just acted and trusted that my magic wouldn’t let me down.” Harry said casually. “Other times, away from the action I practised wandless magic all the time and slowly I started getting better at it and more controlled. My confidence grew and it just started becoming easier, I was doing really well at work, my instincts were good and my magic was good… things seemed to be going well…”

“So what went wrong?” Draco asked.

Harry sighed. “I’m not sure really, there wasn’t one defining moment where things started to go wrong but looking back on it I’ve realised now that I was repressing a lot of emotions. I wasn’t really allowing myself to think about things properly, to feel things you know? I just threw myself head first into work and I focused on that all the time. It was like I just became Auror Harry and forgot who I was underneath. Auror Harry was the saviour of the world and you could always count on him in the field. There was a lot of pressure on me to be perfect and I was so scared to let anyone down. The real me though was slowly becoming more and more of a mess because I still hadn't dealt with everything from the war. Over time I just started to crack I guess.”

Harry had spoken about this a little bit with the twins and Hermione a month ago when he made the decision to leave but he hadn’t quite laid it all out for someone piece by piece before like this. Now he started though he found that he couldn’t stop.

“Other people were able to separate work from home. Ron would go back to his family, back to Hermione and he would switch off from the Ministry. He was still dealing with a lot too, we all were but somehow they were able to use their personal time to deal with their feelings and move from it. I never did, still haven’t really.” Harry said, feeling good to admit that out loud. 

“I guess I could only carry on repressing my emotions for so long before they started bubbling over, they needed an outlet, somewhere to go and because my magic and my emotions are so strongly linked they started to affect each other. It started small and it just got worse and worse. It became so that my magic was too strong for the situation and the situations I was facing were getting less and less dangerous, the balance was completely wrong. My magic was too uncontrolled and my instincts were all off. Things were going too well and I was getting more unsettled, more paranoid. I didn’t know what to do with myself if there wasn’t this dark evil to fight, it’s all I’ve never known so I started to see potential dangers everywhere where there were none. It was almost like I wanted a fight so I could have an excuse to let my magic loose but I was becoming dangerous. I was making more and more mistakes in the field, I accidentally attacked civilians a couple of times. Nothing really bad, I never actually hurt anyone but I- I could have done.”

He groaned out loud of the thought. “It scared me and the more I worried about it the worse I became. I tried to talk to my boss about it but he just kept excusing me and sweeping everything under the carpet. He said no one was perfect but I was still the best auror they had and that the department needed me. Drinking helped, fucking strangers helped at first too, the twins humour helped and dreamless sleep helped but they were all short term solutions. The cycle kept repeating itself and I knew it would only stop if I walked away from work. I didn't need the money, it was just Ron that was stopping me really. I tried to talk to him about it a couple of times but he just never got it and I knew he’d always manage to talk me into staying. Finally when the promotion came up that’s when I cracked… and well I told you the rest at Daphne’s that night.”

“Merlin Harry.” Draco said when Harry had finished. “That’s a lot.”

“Yeah…” Harry said slowly. “You were right when you said I’m a mess. I am getting better though I think. Quiting my job, spending more time with my family and friends, making time for myself… it’s all helping. Plus the writing does help too, revisiting the memories, speaking them outloud and then reading the words back on paper… I haven’t got to anything really heavy yet but the process is good for me I think… and… well, this, talking to you, this helps, so, erm, thanks.”

“You can talk to me anytime Harry.” Draco said with such sincerity. “You’ve done so much for me but I really want to be there for you too, to help you.”

Draco paused and Harry could see he was trying to think how to say the next part.

“I honestly think that I might be able to teach you how to control your emotions more though. Mostly, it’s something that I’ve always been good at. I was trained from a young age but that hadn’t always been a good thing… I am definitely still learning that there is a difference between controlling your emotions and burying them. When you bury them they always come back up in some form or another, Sunday was proof that it does still happen to me so I’m not saying I’m perfect… but I definitely think some mindfulness techniques might help you when you feel your emotions getting the better of you in that moment. You just need to make sure that you still wind ways of expressing them in a calm way so they don’t build up again.”

“Yes, I think you’re right... Thanks Draco.” Harry said gently, giving the man a warm smile.

“You’re welcome.” Draco replied with a matching smile.

“Right now though I really do need to go I’m afraid or I’ll be late.” Draco said standing up suddenly. “I’m already in danger of arriving after Daphne and I wanted to arrive at the same time as her so she’s never alone there.”

“Right of course. I’m so sorry for rambling on.” Harry said quickly, feeling like an idiot for forgetting Draco had to go to work.

Draco picked up his plate but Harry told him to leave it. He rushed into the lounge to pick up what he’d left in there yesterday and met Draco again by the front door.

“You got your cloak that Fred gave you just in case?” He asked Draco and Draco nodded, pulling it out of his pocket. “OK good, apparate to and from everywhere underneath it so no one ever sees you travelling, then they shouldn’t be able to tail you.”

Harry then passed Draco a small package. “These are the bands, I’ve already got mine on my ankle so make sure you put yours on and give the others out. Please press it if anything doesn’t feel right, anything at all and I’ll come. I’ll always come under my cloak too so no one will ever see me respond to your call, better to be safe than sorry. I’d rather you call me and it be a false alarm than you ignore the feeling and then something happens... Although if there really is someone dodgy around then the bands should be triggered automatically. I spent ages last night setting them up and I’m sure I’ve thought of everything but…” Harry trailed off.

Draco rested his hand gently on Harry’s arm. “Harry, thank you for this but please don’t worry I’m sure you’ve set them up perfectly and they will be a massive help. We’ve taken every precaution, it will be fine. I’ll see you after work OK?”

Harry nodded slowly knowing that he was probably just being stupid and not wanting Draco to know how much he was worrying about not being with him today. 

“Have a good day.” He said, trying to sound casual.

“Thanks, you too.” Draco said, giving a warm smile and then disappearing under the cloak before he even opened the front door.

Harry watched him go trying to shake the feeling of wanting to go after him immediately. It was so stupid, he was a grown man he could take care of himself and just because they lived together didn’t mean they had to be together all the time. Get a grip Harry, he told himself. He couldn’t be a clingy mess before he’d even had the chance to start a relationship with Draco, otherwise he’d definitely send the man running in the opposite direction…

And he very much wanted Draco to stay.

*~*

So Thursday was spent with Draco at work in Diagon Alley and Harry at home in Grimmauld Place. He was writing in his study as usual going back over all the notes he’d made when his mind hadn’t been in the right place so that the next few chapters actually made sense now. After his chat with Draco over breakfast he was feeling good, it really did help him to talk about his problems and he felt stupid for repressing things for all those years. Maybe he should have spoken out sooner, or maybe this was the just the right time to start dealing with everything now that Draco had come into his life again as a friend. Of course he’d started the process with his surrogate family before talking to Draco but then they became friends at just the right time it seemed. 

Somehow he thought that things were working out for the best. Was that crazy to think? And were they just supposed to be friends or could they be more than that and make it work? He wondered what would actually happen with his feelings for Draco, he definitely knew that there was part of him that wanted to admit to the man that he’s started to have feelings for him but how exactly would that conversation go? What if it just all went horribly wrong? He needed more time to know exactly what they felt for each other and whether it would be worth the risk of losing him as a friend first.

Despite how often his mind wandered to Draco, Harry had managed to be quite productive and he was eager to share his notes with Draco later. They’d still not managed to actually sit down and look over the book together with everything that had been going on. Hopefully now they would have more time and things would be easier. As long as Lucius stayed away that was… although there was part of him that hoped Lucius wouldn’t so they could actually catch him doing something illegal to get to Draco. Then maybe Harry could persuade Draco to let him hand Lucius over to Ron so he’d no longer be a threat. 

At around half four Harry actually started getting excited about the fact that Draco would be home soon, was that pathetic? After being on his own here it was surprising how quickly Harry had adapted to having a housemate. It had only been two days since Draco had moved in but Harry liked having him around and hearing him move about the house. He realised today how quiet it was without him, even though Draco was hardly the loudest of people. Maybe that’s why Harry liked him being here though. 

He loved the Weasleys but they were quite a loud family and that perhaps was another reason why Harry had never particularly invited them over, he thought it might be overwhelming to have them all here. At the Burrow it just seemed natural and they tended to all spill out into the large garden anyway. At his home he liked things to be fairly quiet but not completely silent. Draco fitted into that wonderfully. He had an elegant and delicate manner about him, he never trampled up and down the stairs or made a lot of noise in anything he did yet Harry could still hear him. He was quite talkative actually, more so than Harry had first thought yet he spoke softly and had periods of being quiet too. 

At five o’clock exactly Harry went down to the kitchen to brew Draco some chamomile tea thinking he might appreciate it after work. He’d asked Kreacher to get some of the posh leaves that he hoped Draco would like. He used the fanciest teapot they had and he put it on a little tray with a teacup, strainer, a few shortbread biscuits that Kreacher had made that day and a pot of honey in case Draco wanted it. He put a charm on the teapot so it could keep warm and it was a good job he had because by quarter past five Draco still wasn’t home and Harry was starting to get worried.

This was ridiculous, Harry shouldn’t be worried. Draco had his own life and a business to run, he didn’t have to come straight back here as soon as his shop was shut. He was probably just finishing for the day, getting things in order, maybe talking to Daphne. Yes, that was it, they were probably just in the back talking together, afterall Harry didn’t know exactly what time Daphne usually went home and Draco called it a day and it wasn’t like they’d agreed a time he had to be home by. If something bad had happened his band would be glowing hot around his ankle and it definitely wasn’t. Everything was fine, he told himself.

Fifteen minutes later and Harry was staring out of the kitchen window hoping to catch a glimpse of Draco coming home which he knew was ridiculous because he would apparate under the invisibility cloak straight onto the doorstep but he couldn’t bring himself to sit down and relax. Finally he heard signs of movement outside the front door but it wasn’t what he expected. He walked over and hovered nervously in the open kitchen doorway.

“Whatcha’ waiting for George just open the door.” 

“Well I’m trying but it’s hard with these things in the way especially when I can’t see them.”

Then the front door finally swung open and in walked Fred and George seemingly struggling with a load of invisible things. Harry could see they were both wearing the Ministry bands on their right wrists. That was good, at least Draco have given them to Fred and George and theirs obviously weren’t glowing hot either so it didn’t mean that his wasn’t working.

“Erm hi guys.” Harry said, slightly confused.

“Hey sorry these things are a pain we had to disillusion them all in case the muggles saw-”

“-we couldn’t exactly all fit on the doorstep.” The twins said.

There were lots of shimmers in the air that Harry could see as well as one bigger one but he still wasn’t sure what was going on.

“Er, what things? And is Draco with you by any chance?” He said hoping his voice didn’t show how nervous he was by Draco’s absence. 

“Yes sorry Harry I’m here.” Relief flooded through Harry as he heard Draco’s familiar voice.

There was a small sound of something being put on the floor and then Draco appeared from under his cloak.

“Hey.” Harry said smiling at him, trying to be casual.

“Hi.” Draco said back.

For a weird moment they just looked at each other and smiled, seemingly happy to see each other but not really sure how to greet one another.

Then Fred ruined the moment by coughing obviously and Harry flushed slightly.

“Right Draco, you good with these now?” George asked.

Draco turned to the twins and nodded. “Yes, you go. I know you have a date to get to! Thanks so much for helping though, both of you. I couldn’t have done it without you.”

“No worries.” Fred answered back. “Come on Georgie, let’s go make you handsome!”

“Oh you seeing Daphne again?” Harry asked.

It was George’s turn to flush slightly. “Yes, of course I’m seeing Daphne, I wouldn’t go on a date with someone else when-” He cut himself off looking down at his shoes.

Fred was grinning and even Draco was smiling broadly.

“Of course not! I didn’t mean anything by it.” Harry said quickly. “Have a nice time and say hi from me, I hope she’s OK. I’ll have to catch up with her soon.”

“Well don’t be a stranger yourself Harry.” George said smiling.

“No I won’t.” Harry assured them. “I’ll see you at the Burrow on Sunday anyway. Your mum would never forgive me if I missed two in a row.”

“No she wouldn’t” Fred said seriously.

The twins said goodbye and then left. Harry turned to Draco to ask him what that was all about but Draco was sniffing the air and looking past Harry’s shoulder.

“Is that chamomile tea I smell?” He asked with a small hopeful looking smile.

Harry moved out of the doorway so Draco could see the kitchen table behind him. “Yeah I- erm, I got some ready for you, I thought you might want some after work…” He trailed off.

Suddenly he was worried that the gesture was too much. Was that a weird thing to do for your housemate? He didn’t know he’d never lived with anyone before properly. When he’d been practically living at the flat the twins always managed to finish work before him and he would floo in later but he had done stuff like this for them on the rare occasion he wasn’t at work.

Draco walked past Harry into the kitchen and lightly touched the tray. He looked at it with such fondness and surprise that it made Harry’s heart ache again. He didn’t think Draco was used to people looking after him like this but Harry very much hoped that Draco would let him. He wanted to be the one who took care of him.

“Harry, this is so thoughtful, thank you.” Draco said quietly eyeing up the biscuits at the same time. “I never told you I like it with honey, how did you know?”

Harry shrugged. “Well I didn’t really but somewhere in the back of my mind I knew that was a thing so I just thought you might have wanted some with it but been too polite to ask or something…”

“Well thank you. I shall enjoy this in a moment but first I have something to give you.” Draco turned back to him and looked a little nervous but also excited.

“Oh?” Harry said, frowning. “You didn’t have to get me anything.”

“I did Harry.” Draco insisted. “It’s not much but I had to do something to say thank you.”

“I got these for the business and yes I charged them to the Black vault so thank you for that. In time I’ll claim them as a business expense and replace the money though but it’s good to have them now.” Draco waved his wand and four cages appeared with all different sized brown barn owls in them. “I don’t want to be seen in public still so Fred and George got them and I was under the cloak just behind them in the shop. We went just as it was closing so there was no one around. I did have to confund the cashier slightly so that he agreed to invoice the Black vault but Fred was pretty helpful in convincing him too.”

“Great.” Harry said not entirely sure why this was for him but maybe it was just because Draco had agreed to the idea and used the money for them. “I’m really pleased that you don’t have to go to the post office anymore.”

“Yes so am I actually.” Draco said honestly. “I did have a moment last week where I thought someone might have been watching us go and it made me a bit uneasy and this will be cheaper in the long run so thank you. These aren’t your present though.”

“Oh?” Harry questioned again.

“I got George to buy this with my money. I was thinking of buying one anyway just to get me started as they are useful and I can afford one but when you said about not replacing yours I thought maybe… and I checked with the twins and they seemed to think it was a good idea so hopefully… but I know owls are personal so if you don’t like him or something then…” Draco’s speech was uncharacteristically incoherent and it was obvious how nervous he was now.

“Wait, are you saying you bought me an owl?” Harry asked, surprised.

“Oh.. yeah.” Draco mumbled and then waved his wand again to reveal a larger cage. In it sat a very handsome light grey coloured owl.

“Draco…” Harry started, lost for words. “Did you- did you really buy this for me?”

“Yes.” Draco said, still slightly anxious but looking pleased with Harry’s reaction. “I remember seeing your old one at breakfast in the Great Hall, it- she? was beautiful… George told me what happened, I’m sorry. I know she was a snowy owl so I thought you might like the lighter coloured ones but I didn’t want to get you exactly the same incase that was too painful or something… I wanted it to be special though, not just a common barn owl or something but the eagle owls remind me too much of the Malfoy ones so I settled for this Great Grey owl. He’s the lightest one I’ve ever seen, almost silver in colour… he seemed special.”

“He is absolutely beautiful.” Harry said approaching the cage. 

The owl was eyeing him slightly warily but when Harry opened the cage and held out his arm he fluttered happily onto it and then pecked affectionately on Harry’s hand as if saying hello.

“Does he have a name?” Harry asked Draco, still looking at this beautiful creature not quite believing it.

“Not yet, thought you’d rather name him.” Draco said happily, all anxiety gone now that Harry and the owl seemed to like each other.

Harry thought for a moment. “He kind of looks like Gandalf, that could be a good name.” 

Draco frowned. “Who’s Gandalf?”

“You saying you didn’t even hear about the Lord of the Rings films?” Harry asked bewildered. “I know it’s a muggle thing but they’ve been crazy popular even amongst wizarding kind. People were talking about them in the Ministry when they came out in the cinema. Gandalf is a wizard in the story. He’s kind of like Dumbledore which is why it was a bit of a joke to us. Also elves are tall in that universe and much better looking so there were a lot of comments about that too... Guess you would have been in France when the first film was released but the last one only came out two years ago so thought you’d have heard about it or at least read the books.”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.” Draco said bewildered.

“Oh we are so watching the films together. I’d like to see them again anyway.” Harry said suddenly excited about the idea. “I’ll get them on DVD as the TV has a player built in.”

Draco still looked confused. “So we can watch these… films, did you call them?... on the tellar vision in the sitting room?”

“Television.” Harry corrected automatically but with a smile. “And yes you can buy them on disks.”

“OK… if you say so.” Draco said, looking a bit amused now. He hesitated slightly and then smiled at Harry in a slightly shy way. “So does this mean that you like your gift?”

“I love it Draco, thank you so much.” Harry said genuinely.

“Good.” Was Draco’s reply 

“Come on Gandalf, let’s get you settled into your new home.” Harry said affectionately to the bird, stroking his pretty silvery features. Then he addressed Draco. “I’m going to get Kreacher to help me take these upstairs and get the owlery set up. You sit and enjoy your tea and biscuits then we can catch up at dinner if you like?” Harry said. 

“Sure, thanks.” Draco said as he smiled again. Harry looked into his eyes and thought that his new owl really was the perfect gift as he reminded him of Draco’s beautiful eyes.

*~*

It took him and Kreacher about an hour to clear some space in the attic for a small owlery and get it all set up. Kreacher had been able to gather some large branches from the wild garden outside and Harry had combined them with the shelving from a broken cabinet in the attic and some hooks that Kreacher found. Before long he was looking at a sort of tree that had the cages hanging from the branches at certain points and other little shelves dotted around at random points for them all to perch on. He also got some old bowls and stuck them onto different points with a sticking charm so he could put owl treats in them. Harry was pretty pleased with the effort and all the owls certainly seemed to like them. 

There was a large skylight window in the attic roof that you could barely see before as it was black with filth but Kreacher made it sparkling clean so it flooded the attic with light and they could use it to let the owls hunt at night and set them off on their journeys when they needed them for post. They would have to remember to cast a ‘notice-me-not’ charm on them when they wanted to use them during the day so the muggle neighbourhood didn’t become too suspicious but that was easily done. 

Gandalf had been sitting on Harry’s shoulder during all this and supervising his work. He seemed to have become quite attached to Harry already and Harry was fond of him too, he seemed to have a nice temperament. Harry settled him back into the largest cage but left the door open as he had with all the others. The window was closed for now but Harry told them all he’d come and let them out later that evening but they couldn’t hunt too much today as Draco would need them to be well rested for his deliveries tomorrow.

When he came down from the attic he could see the light was on in the bathroom so he thought Draco must be having a bath as he seemed fond of doing. This filled his mind with visions of Draco in the bath… he shook his head quickly. No it really wouldn’t do to think of his housemate and friend like that! 

‘Friend who is gay’… ‘Friend who you’re pretty sure finds you attractive’… said a small voice in his head. No, shut up, he doesn’t! Harry told the voice... ‘Oh come on! You saw the way he was checking you out when you came back from your run yesterday morning…’ The voice in his head replied. Even if that is true, there is a big difference between finding someone attractive and actually wanting to be in a relationship with them, he told himself stubbornly as he continued down the stairs.

It was dinner time really but he didn’t want to rush Draco or set any rules. Draco had eaten the biscuits an hour ago anyway so maybe a later dinner was in order today. Harry thought he’d just chill in the lounge with the TV on until Draco came down. Sure enough, ten minutes later he heard movement in the stairs and then Draco’s familiar figure came round the open door into the room.

Harry looked up at him and smiled when he saw Draco in luxurious looking silver pyjama set and a matching dressing gown. 

“So let me get this straight, all your clothes got destroyed but you still bought yourself a luxury silk pyjama and gown set with what little money you had?” He asked in an amused and affectionate sort of way.

“What?” Draco said with a sort of mock innocence. “It was a case of quality over quantity.” He shrugged.

Harry laughed. “Well buy yourself some more now. I’ll give you the catalogue I use, Charlie introduced me to the company. It’s amazing, you can tap the models on the pages with your wand to see how the outfits look on you. Then just fill in one of the forms at the back with everything you want and your measurements then they make it all up and post it over with large carrier owls.”

“I did wonder who was responsible for your sense of style nowadays and your properly fitted clothes.” Draco said as his eyes wandered over Harry’s body in a way that sent shivers down this spine. “Remind me to thank Charlie if I ever meet him.”

OK, that was definitely flirty. What do I do? How do I flirt back and show that I’m interested? Thought Harry.

Instead of some quick flirty line Harry’s mouth just blurted out. “Dinner!”

Draco looked slightly taken aback but amused. “Hungry Harry?”

“Sorry, yes a bit actually. I meant, would you like some dinner?” Harry said mentally smacking himself over the head and trying to recover some dignity.

Draco smiled. “Yes please dinner would be good. I hope you don’t mind me being dressed down for dinner but I thought I could get away with it seeing as you wore your pyjamas at breakfast.”

“It’s fine, wear whatever you want.” Harry said casually, standing up and walking past Draco and into the kitchen. “I’m glad you feel comfortable enough to do so.” He called over his shoulder.

Draco followed him into the room. “Well I thought seeing as you were busy in the attic I’d have my bath early so we could discuss any progress you made on the book today this evening. If you wanted to?”

“Yeah I was thinking tonight would be a good time. I always go to Ron and Hermione’s for dinner on Fridays, erm, if that’s OK with you that is?” Harry asked as he started looking in the cupboards thinking what to have for dinner. He’d told Kreacher he’d handle it seeing as the elf had helped him so much in the attic. 

“Of course Harry you don’t need to check with me. You should be able to see your friends whenever you want.” Draco replied. “I was fine here yesterday by myself and I’ll be fine tomorrow.” 

Harry couldn’t help but notice Draco seemed slightly disappointed. He was becoming much easier to read so he was so open and relaxed.

“Well, I was thinking that you could have Blaise and Daphne over if you wanted to? Weren’t Friday night dinners a regular for you guys before?” He asked casually.

“Yes, but it’s fine, I’ll still see them… around.” He trailed off as he seemed to be thinking when he would see them properly again. “I know you're quite private about your home Harry and you said you never had people over before… I wouldn’t want to do anything you were uncomfortable with.”

Harry turned round to look at Draco properly as he spoke. “I’ll admit that once the thought might have made me uncomfortable but I still don’t really understand why that is. It’s a nice big house and it should be used, having you here has made me realise that a bit more. Besides, it’s important for you to have quality time with your friends and I don’t want you to miss out on that because you don’t feel safe at theirs anymore.”

“Just get them some more cloaks from Fred and George and have them apparate here under them and it will be fine. I can floo call them and give them the address. Having them know it as part of the fidelius charm won’t make the house any less secure, they still won’t actually be able to speak the location even if Lucius does somehow find out they visited.” Harry continued explaining. 

He looked at Draco who seemed to be giving the idea some thought and convinced him further. “Kreacher can cook for the three of you, he’ll be really excited. Just tell him tonight so he has time to prepare and don’t be surprised if he bans us from the kitchen all afternoon tomorrow. Good job I’ve given him tonight off really.” 

“Well if you’re sure you don’t mind Harry then that would be really nice.” Draco said earnestly. “I was a bit worried about when I’d see Blaise again and I know I see Daphne at work but it’s not really the same. I’ve been worried about her and I know they’ve been worried about me.”

“A good catch up over dinner is just what you need then!” Harry said happily. He felt less guilty going out and leaving Draco alone tomorrow now. “Just tell Kreacher what you want to eat or leave it up to him whichever, and help yourself to the wine in the cellar.”

“Now, what shall we eat tonight.” Harry said wandering over to the freezer..

They ended up oven cooking fish and chips from the freezer and having them with peas done in the microwave as Harry couldn't be bothered to cook properly. Over dinner Draco told him that he’d met with Graham today in his lunch break, originally still disguised as Pierre but felt confident enough at the end to tell him who he really was. As predicted Graham really didn’t seem to care he was just grateful for a place to live and said he’d happily work three days for Draco for free in exchange. 

So the plan really did seem to be coming together. Draco said he’d organised for Graham to work Mondays, Fridays and Saturdays at the Potions shop and then he would be at the joke shop Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays with Sundays off. Fred and George had said they would probably need Graham on the Saturdays that Hogwarts students flooded into the Hogsmeade village but that could be arranged. Seeing as they’d just had one there wouldn’t be another for a while and Draco and/or Harry would just have to be in the back of the shop on those Saturdays so that Daphne wasn’t alone. Hopefully by then though the threat of Lucius Malfoy would be dealt with.

Draco mentioned he was hoping with Graham brewing at least one day for him in the lab at the shop that he could still have Sundays off but that would depend on Graham’s skill level and how much Draco could delegate to him. Overall Harry agreed that it was a good plan and apparently Daphne was pleased with it. She liked Graham enough from what she knew of him at school and their brief meeting today to welcome him onto the team. Harry could tell Draco seemed much more relaxed tonight and remembered what he said before about needing structure in his life. This was good, things were all working out.

After dinner Harry summoned his notes from upstairs and they sat in the lounge together to go over them. Draco had already read the first few chapters which went over first year but he had said he wanted to interject his side of things a few times which he would write himself and give to Harry at some point. 

Harry now gave him the chapters three and four that he’d written on second year. It was roughly one chapter to summarise most of the year and then another chapter to tell the story of what happened at the end of that year. As something big had happened to Harry at the end of each school year it seemed like a good system to start with but he presumed as the years went on the more chapters it would take to record everything that happened.

He waited anxiously as Draco read. Occasionally Draco would say something out loud and Harry would comment on it then Draco would go back to reading. 

“I still can’t believe people thought you were the heir of Slytherin, I mean you're such a Gryffindor!” Draco said about halfway into the third chapter.

“I know… that’s why I thought it was you.”

“You thought it was me?!”

“Yeah… Ron and I actually polyjuiced into Crabbe and Goyle one time to ask you about it in the Slytherin common room.”

“You can’t be serious? When? And how did you get polyjuice… I just have so many questions.”

“Christmas day after lunch that year and Hermione brewed it in Moaning Myrtle’s bathroom.”

“Wow…”

“Yeah… I erm, left that bit out of the book though!”

Draco shook his head in disbelief and went back to reading.

When he reached the end of the fourth chapter he looked up in shock. 

“So you really did kill a basilisk with the sword of Gryffindor? That was the most ridiculous rumour I’d ever heard I had no idea it was actually true…”

Harry sighed. “Yeah it’s true but hopefully the book gets across the fact that it wasn’t just me being amazing like everyone always seems to think. You read about how Hermione worked it out first right? And Ron was brilliant going into the forest when he was petrified of spiders, he would have followed me right into the heart of the chamber if he could. He’s really brave and he gave me the courage to go on just like he did at the end of first year. Plus I’d have been dead without Fawkes…”

Draco nodded slowly. “Yes I do see that and you’ve been very kind to your friends in the way you’ve written it. It does come across like there is more than one hero to the story but you are still one of the heroes no matter what you say. It wasn’t just blind luck that Fawkes was there, your actions and your words called him to you. You still saved Ginevra’s life.”

“I suppose I’ll take some credit but I mostly put all that in there because the diary, the sword, Riddle and the basilisk fang… well they’re all relevant later on to understand the wider picture.” Harry said cryptically.

“A story for another time?” Draco said with a raised eyebrow and a small smile.

“Something like that.” Harry replied with a smile of his own. “You’ll understand it all in time I promise. It’s better to do it this way, in small doses and in order for me as well as you. Going through it like this, unpacking it little by little is helpful for me and doing it all at once would be way too overwhelming.”

“I think you’re right.” Draco said sincerely. “This way is good and I’m already understanding so much more now. Seeing the events from school like this through your eyes explains so much for me and I feel like I’m seeing Harry the boy in a completely different light. I knew I didn’t hate you as a man but I always thought I’d still hate the child version I had of you in my head in some way and I’d just be able to distance the two… now though I look back on my memories of first and second year and when I see you in them you look so different to me. I feel like I can understand everything you said and did… I feel like I know you, the real you, as a boy and as a man and the two have come together again. ”

Harry nodded slowly in understanding. “That’s exactly how I feel with my old memories of you after you told me what your childhood was really like and what I know of Lucius now.”

Draco was quiet for a moment before he spoke again

“The man in the bookstore that slipped Ginerva the diary was Lucius right?” He said with a sad tone.

Harry just nodded again.

Draco sighed. “I remember that day but I didn’t see him do that. I had no idea he was involved with it at all. I can’t believe he did that… and me, I was really horrible that year, looking back on it now I really hate myself. I was just acting the way I thought he’d want me to act, I didn’t know any different…”

“I know Draco, I know.” Harry said softly. “It doesn’t matter now, it’s not who you are.”

“I can’t believe we even had that diary in our house…” Draco started saying and then seemed to think better of it. “Well I suppose I can, there were a lot of dark things there once…”

“Wait until you find out what that diary really was.” Harry said only half joking.

“It’s more evil than possessing a first year and trying to drain her life?” Draco asked in a bit of a scared tone.

“Yeah… it kind of is.” Harry said slowly.

“Merlin.” Draco muttered quietly.

“Yeah the rest of the chapters will make these ones seem like children’s stories!” Harry said trying to lighten the mood a bit but not really sure if he was succeeding.

“Can’t wait!” Draco said sarcastically.

“Yeah well, enough depressing stuff for now…” Harry said relaxing back on the sofa. “We’ll do third year on Saturday.”

“OK, but you have to tell me the full story of freeing Dobby now, Lucius was so cross at you but I think he was too embarrassed to say how it happened. Thinking of Lucius’ misery always cheers me up so spill!” Draco said enthusiastically relaxing back on the sofa too.

“Yeah… his face was priceless” Harry agreed. 

Then he launched into the story thinking again how nice it was to have Draco here in his lounge just relaxed and talking to him and how they could be completely serious and emotional together one minute and laughing and joking the next.  
It was just perfect.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So for those wondering about the LotR films and stuff remember that this story is set in 2005.  
> I originally wrote Blu-rays and was going to have Draco make a joke about 'Blue... something or others' but then I realised they weren't a thing until 2006! Now even the concept of a Blu-ray seems old! xD
> 
> Who wants to see Harry and Draco curl up on the sofa together with popcorn and watch Lord of the Rings?! I do!! <3


	22. Draco: Friday 14th October-Saturday 15th October

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So quick note, I made a small edit to the last chapter as I remembered that Draco's shop is closed on Wednesdays so he wouldn't need Graham. I've posted the adapated paragraph here so you don't have to go back and read it if you're reading as I post this. If not then just ignore it!
> 
> Edit from Chapter 21:  
> So the plan really did seem to be coming together. Draco said he’d organised for Graham to work Mondays, Fridays and Saturdays at the Potions shop and then he would be at the joke shop Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays with Sundays off. Fred and George had said they would probably need Graham on the Saturdays that Hogwarts students flooded into the Hogsmeade village but that could be arranged. Seeing as they’d just had one there wouldn’t be another for a while and Draco and/or Harry would just have to be in the back of the shop on those Saturdays so that Daphne wasn’t alone. Hopefully by then though the threat of Lucius Malfoy would be dealt with.
> 
> Also, note for this chapter, it does contain spoilers from The Fellowship of the Ring film if for some reason you haven't seen it and want to! (Why not??!!)  
> Enjoy the LotR scene! I actually rewatched the film as I wrote this! It was a lot of fun for me! :D
> 
> Some nice Blaise and Daphne moments here too for those of you who were worried about Daphne!

Friday morning started in much the same way as Thursday. As Draco made his way down the stairs he felt sure he heard Harry dash from the sitting room to the kitchen and as he passed the open door he saw a blanket haphazardly lying on the sofa again as if someone had slept there. When he walked into the kitchen Harry was already making the coffee again but he looked tired still. The man couldn’t go on like this, thought Draco. 

He wondered if Harry ever actually slept in his bedroom. He had claimed the room opposite Draco’s was his yet Draco had yet to see him go in or out of it. It was obvious that Harry did use the shared bathroom on that floor at least on occasion though and he must go into his room to get dressed. Currently he was still wearing his pajamas but Draco always liked seeing him in them. To be fair though Draco liked seeing him in anything. He wondered what it would be like to see him in nothing at all…

“Not going to say good morning back?” Were the words that interrupted his lewd thoughts. 

“Hmm? Oh right, sorry… Good morning.” Draco said back in a very incoherent way.

He mentally groaned that he’d allowed himself to be too easily distracted by Harry again and hoped it wasn’t obvious what he’d been thinking about.

Draco automatically started to make some toast, feeling more confident today and not even asking Harry. He reminded himself of what he’d seen in some of the cupboards and did have to open a few before he got the right ones but after a short time and not too much effort he’d placed a tray of spreads, a rack of toast, two knives and two plates on the kitchen table. Harry sat down with the two mugs of coffee and they tucked in.

Breakfast today was a slightly less serious affair than yesterday but they confirmed their plans for the day and engaged in light conversation which just came naturally to them now. Afterwards Harry had gone upstairs to get ready and Draco had gone to talk to Kreacher about dinner plans tonight. As Harry predicted Kreacher seemed very excited about it but also slightly nervous and Draco assured him that it really didn’t need to be anything grand.

They both spent the first part of the morning at the shop. It was Pritchard’s first day so he wanted to set him up with some jobs and make sure he knew where everything was and what was expected of him. Plus Harry was going in anyway to sort the flat out with his two Gryffindor friends. Harry had told them that he was Pierre’s investor and they were doing the flat as part two of the business to rent out for extra income. Draco would just make sure to stay out of their way.

It turned out Pritchard (or Graham as everyone seemed to call him now) was more than happy to brew basic potions. Draco gave him copies of his recipes for the standard potions he kept in the shop for people to buy over the counter and asked him to make one of each just so that he could check the quality of Graham’s work. He also asked Graham to do a quick stock check if he had time. Draco had actually already done one yesterday but he wanted to be sure of Graham’s method before allowing him to take over all future stock checks. After a quick check in with Daphne to make sure she was set up for the day Draco waited for Harry to finish briefing (or chatting with!) the contractors upstairs and then they came back to Grimmauld Place. 

When they returned, Draco set himself up in his new home office and started to get all the orders he’d made on Wednesday packaged up and ready to be sent. About an hour in, Harry knocked on the door and came in with a cinnamon latte that he’d made for Draco and some more shortbread biscuits. Draco was so touched at the constant little gestures Harry did and was rapidly becoming used to being taken care of. 

Deep down he’d only ever wanted someone to take care of him yet somehow his first instinct was always to push away anyone who tried. Not Harry though, Draco thought he’d pushed away when he’d yelled at him but Blaise was right, Harry was stubborn and wouldn’t scare that easily. If he really thought about it it was scary how much he was starting to rely on Harry being there in such a short space of time. He could no longer imagine his life without the man which terrified him as he knew he didn’t want to be without him already and they hadn’t even begun anything resembling a relationship yet, but Draco was determined not to let his insecurities get in the way of what could end up being a very good thing.

He had decided though at some point he really needed to steer the conversation towards Harry’s love life and see if he could find out a little more. Harry had mentioned ‘fucking strangers’ yesterday with disdain in his voice which had upset Draco slightly. He was unhappy at the thought of other people (he still wasn’t sure if Harry was gay or bisexual) being with Harry in that meaningless way. Harry was too special for that, he wasn’t just ‘some guy’ to hook up with. Of course Draco didn’t judge him as that would be hypocritical, he just felt a bit sad about the fact that Harry had clearly not been in a good place for a while. 

He also still wanted to know where he had seemingly been living the majority of the time before a month ago, had he been in a relationship? Was that another reason why he didn’t sleep in his bed? Was he missing someone at night? The last thing Draco wanted to be was a rebound fling. He’d already decided that if he was going to be with Harry then it had to be the real deal. The thought still terrified him as he’d never been in a relationship before but he already knew that if he allowed himself to properly feel anything for Harry then he wouldn’t be able to keep it casual, plus he definitely had a jealous, possessive streak.

Harry left him to his work mostly that day, only popping in to check on him every now and then but he did help him take the first lot of parcels up to the owlery just after lunch to be sent off. A couple of them only had small parcels to deliver locally so they would return before long and Draco could send the remaining two packaged he still had to finish off with those owls later once they’d had a rest. 

Harry spent some time petting Gandalf affectionately before Draco used him to send the biggest order off. It was nice to see Harry was clearly taken with the owl, Draco had never felt the joy of giving so much as to when he’d given Harry that present and it was nice to think Harry had something that he’d given him. Hopefully it would always remind Harry of him but Draco wished for more gift giving opportunities in the future, even if the owl had been more expensive than he’d budgeted for and he now had even less of his personal money.

They went their separate ways again that afternoon as Harry said he was going for a run. Draco secretly wondered if he could orchestrate an accidental meeting with him when he came back to see those muscles on show again but he’d been too distracted with his work and he heard Harry jump straight in the shower as soon he came back. Shame, hopefully there would be opportunities to see Harry after he’d worked up a sweat again.

It was around four o’clock when Harry knocked on Draco’s office door again.

“Come in.” Draco called out knowing there was only one person it could be.

“Hey, I just wanted to let you know that I’m off now.” Harry said as he stepped into the room.

“Oh, already?” Draco said before he realised how pathetic he sounded. He hoped that the disappointment he felt about Harry leaving didn’t come across in his voice.

“Yeah…” Harry said slowly and Draco thought he almost sounded like he didn’t want to go. “I’m usually there by now to be fair, it’s nice to spend a bit of time with Hermione on her own before Ron comes back, quality time with each of them you know? She likes to moan to me about him cos she can’t vent her frustrations around the Weasleys in case Molly hears of it! Plus I get extra cuddles with Rose this way too.”

“Rose is their daughter?” Draco asked not sure if he’d heard the name before but knowing they had one and remembering a photo he’d seen in the sitting room.

“Yeh, she’s ten months and she’s just so cute. She has these gorgeous blue eyes and these chubby little cheeks...” Harry said with a stupidly sappy grin on his face.

Merlin, the man really does love his godchildren, or is it just kids in general that gets him looking like that. Suddenly he felt like this was an important moment but the subject had come up organically so Draco just went for it trying to sound as casual as possible.

“Who would have thought Harry Potter is such a Hufflepuff when it comes to babies, you ever think about having your own?” Draco asked not looking up at Harry but focusing on the order form in front of him as if this conversation wasn’t a big deal.

He noticed that Harry took a while to respond and wish he could properly see his face. “Erm, yeah guess so, sometimes, would be nice one day.” Harry replied.

Draco noticed that Harry was trying to keep his voice casual too but he could hear it cracking slightly. The man definitely wants children, no doubt about it, thought Draco. That was important information to consider.

“Erm, anyway, I won’t be back late or anything. I was hoping to catch the tail end of Blaise and Daphne’s visit if that’s OK?” Harry said, speaking again in the slightly ‘too casual’ way. “I mean, obviously I don’t want to intrude but I kinda miss Daphne…”

“Harry, this is your home, come back whenever you like.” Draco said in an amused way. “Besides I’m sure Daphne would like to see you too and Blaise of course, they’re just as much your friends as mine now.”

“Yeah much to Ron’s annoyance, I’m sure I’ll get a lecture on that tonight.” Harry said, seeming a bit annoyed.

“Weasley doesn’t like you being friends with them?” Draco asked, a bit irritated with that thought. “That seems a bit petty.”

Harry sighed. “It is a bit.” He agreed. “He still gets jealous, think it comes from being the youngest boy. He said he didn't know why I needed any more friends as if he thinks the Weasley lot should be enough for me… There’s all such such a close knit group but… It’s nice to have my own friends now… I know it’s stupid but sometimes I still feel like an outsider with the Weasleys and he’s never quite understood that.”

“Imagine if he knew you were friends with me” Draco said, rolling his eyes dramatically.

Harry laughed. “I know! But he’ll get over it when the time comes.”

That made Draco snap back round and look at Harry who seemed to have realised he’d said too much. “When what time comes?” He asked slowly.

Harry looked a bit flustered. “Erm, well you know, erm, you won’t always have to hide away here… we’ll deal with Lucius for good one way or another at some point. I promise.” He said with more confidence at the end.

“Oh right.” Was all Draco could say. Was Harry imagining a time when he would tell Ron and Hermione about their friendship or whatever it was... that seemed significant somehow.

“Anyway, enjoy your dinner and I’ll catch you later.” Harry said, making Draco look back up at him.

“Yeah, you too.” Draco said in response.

Harry hesitated slightly as if he wanted to say something else but he didn’t. He gave Draco one last look, smiled and then walked out leaving Draco with a lot to think about.

*~*

“Evening darling.” Daphne greeted him as she stepped through the door and took the shield cloak George had given her off.

Draco gave her a chaste kiss on the check. “Welcome to my new home.” He said with a dramatic flair and a wave of the hand.

“I’m beyond curious to see it I must admit.” Daphne said with a sparkle in her eye already nosing around but there wasn’t much to see in the hallway with the doors closed.

Just as Draco was wondering why Blaise hadn't arrived at the same time he felt an invisible hand groping his arse making him jump.

“Blaise!” He growled. 

He heard a familiar smooth low chuckle and then Blaise appeared in the hallway holding a thin sheet of material. “Sorry Draky but I had to have a little fun with this thing, I’ve always wanted one.”

“Draky?!” Draco screwed his nose up in disgust. “That’s even worse than the other hideous nickname, what’s wrong with my actual name?”

“Everyone calls you Draco, I want to be special.” Blaise said in an arrogant but charming way as was custom for him. 

“Special is one word for you.” Draco muttered under his breath.

Just then Kreacher popped into the hallway and did the most formal low bow that Draco had ever seen him do. He was even wearing a brand new crisp clean white rag instead of the dirty one he usually wore and he had a small navy necktie on too, clearly trying to make an impression. Draco knew from Harry that Kreacher had been given clothes but he just refused to wear them. 

“Master Draco’s friends must forgive Kreacher’s late arrival but Kreacher be checking on the dinner, it’s been too long since Kreacher had to do a proper dinner party sir and madam.” He said with his head still bowed. His nose was so close to the floor that Draco had to try hard not to laugh. 

Kreacher finally stood up and held his arms out. “Please allow Kreacher to take your cloaks for you.”

“Thank you Kreacher, nice to meet you.” Daphne said politely as she passed the house elf her cloak.

Blaise was eyeing the elf in an amused way and passed over the material too. “Thank you.” He said simply.

Kreacher disappeared with another faint popping sound.

“Funny old thing isn’t he?” Blaise said.

“Yeah, he grows on you though.” Draco said almost fondly. “He hasn’t quite got used to the new ways for house elves after all the reforms came in and refuses to be freed. He still says inappropriate things sometimes and moans a lot but I’ve learnt he’s actually quite caring… He dotes on Harry he just would never admit it. He practically fainted when I told him guests were coming from dinner and he banned us from the kitchen all day but presumably we’re allowed in now.”

Draco opened the door to the kitchen without thinking twice, it was just second nature for him to come in now. Daphne and Blaise followed him eager to have a nosey around the place.

Draco was just about to offer them a drink when Kreacher suddenly came over and started hitting him on the leg.

“Ow! Kreacher what-”

“Master Draco should not be bringing guests into the kitchen during a dinner party. What must Master Draco’s friends be thinking of us? You must take them to the drawing room and Kreacher be serving drinks in a moment.” Kreacher said with such fury that Draco was almost scared of him.

“What? I told you it’s not a formal dinner party Kreacher, it's just some friends for dinner.” Draco said quickly, almost stunned by Kreacher’s behaviour.

“Out now, upstairs with you.” Kreacher insisted. 

“I’ve never even properly been in the drawing room though Kreacher, Harry only uses it for floo calls and it doesn’t feel right to sit in there…” Draco trailed off. “Can’t we just have drinks in the sitting room? Please?”

Draco wasn’t quite used to being told what to do by a house elf, it was amusing in a way but it was also quite unsettling. He really just wanted to relax and enjoy the time with his friends. Fortunately Kreacher relented.

“Fine. Sitting room. Just out of the Kreacher’s kitchen. Master Harry be telling Kreacher to do a good job with Draco’s friends and Kreacher be wanting things to be perfect.” Kreacher said in his usual disgruntled tone.

Draco gestured towards the door and Blaise and Daphne turned back towards it but not before having a good look at Harry’s kitchen.

“The sitting room is just that door opposite.” Draco said to Blaise who was at the front and Bliase opened it to walk through. 

When they were all in the front room Draco closed the door behind him and addressed his friends. “Sorry, about that, I’ve never seen him like this before.”

“Oh I think it’s sweet that him and Harry clearly want this evening to go well.” Daphne said smiling and now having a good look round this room.

“Yeah, it was really nice of him to let me have you guys over, especially as he’s so private about his home. It feels a bit weird without him but I’ll admit it’s nice to see you both and have the chance to relax the three of us again after the week we’ve had.” Draco said, taking his usual spot on the sofa nearest the door.

He was almost annoyed when Daphne sat in the place where Harry always sat and then he realised how ridiculous that was. Blaise took an armchair adjacent to the sofa. 

“Does he never have people over?” Daphne asked.

“He said he doesn’t and Kreacher told me that he was practically here by himself for years until a month ago where Harry seemed to move back in. Not really sure where he was before then though.” Draco said casually.

“Hmm.” Said Daphne thoughtfully. “Well nice that Kreacher has company now and Harry obviously feels uncomfortable enough with you here to have us too.”

Just then Kreacher came in with a tray of three glasses of Kir Royale which impressed Draco no end, it was one of his favourites and a perfect arrival drink. Draco thanked him and stood up to pass a drink to each of his friends. He held his up in a toast to their friendship and very much enjoyed his first sip of the drink.

He settled back down on the sofa and turned towards Daphne again. “You know something.” Draco said accusingly. He’d been watching her expression when he spoke about Harry not being here before.

Daphne knew better than to outright lie to him but she was stubborn too. “Perhaps, but like I’ve said before, it’s not my place to tell you Draco. I did my bit my talking to you initially and inviting both you and Harry over for dinner, the rest is up to you. I’m not getting involved just as Harry doesn’t get involved in me and George now. If you want to know then talk to Harry.”

“Fine.” Draco sulked. “But I don’t like it that you know something about him that I don’t.”

Daphne smiled. “I’m sure in time you’ll know a lot more about him than me.”

“Like how big his dick really is.” Blaise said casually from his chair.

“Blaise!” Draco said in surprise.

“What? You denying that you want to know?” Blaise asked him with a raised eyebrow. “I know I’m curious. Do you remember when Witch Weekly interviewed the Magpie seeker? She said he was the biggest she’d ever had, which is quite insulting really considering.”

Daphne snorted. “Oh please, as if Harry ever slept with her.”

Blaise shrugged. “I did, she’s got a good body even if she’s not classically pretty.”

Daphne rolled her eyes dramatically at Blaise. “That’s not what I meant and you know it.”

“Oh yeah right, cos he’s gay you mean?” Blaise said back. “Doesn’t mean he didn’t experiment with women first… but you’re probably right to be fair I expect she made the whole thing up.”

“Is he definitely gay do you think?” Draco asked before he could stop himself.

Blaise looked at him as if he was stupid. “Are you seriously saying you don’t know? He all but said it when we went for dinner. Gay, romantic family man remember? You asked me to find out that was the whole point of that conversation! Besides, something must have happened between the two of you by now?”

“He didn’t say it exactly…” Draco said, defending himself. “You said it and he just didn’t disagree.. And no, nothing has happened, we’re just friends.”

“Seriously? I thought you would have at least kissed by now. I mean there must be plenty of opportunities now you live together, I was hoping we’d hear all the dirty details tonight.” Blaise said, sounding a bit bored. 

“Well I’m sorry to disappoint!” Draco said a bit bitterly.

“What you waiting for?” Blaise asked incredulously.

“It’s not that easy!” Draco bit back quickly. “I can’t just walk up to him and kiss him! What if I’ve misread the whole situation? What if he kicks me out because it would be too awkward to live with me after I came onto him?”

“He would never kick you out Draco.” Daphne said gently. “He knows his house is the best place for you to be, worse case scenario he would leave and sleep at one of the Weasleys place but even then I don’t think it would come to that. Blaise told me what happened on Sunday and you both made up pretty easily after that.”

“Besides I will give you my entire vault if it turns out he doesn’t fancy you every bit as much as you fancy him.” Blaise said smugly.

“You really think he does?” Draco asked quietly.

“Absolutely. It’s beyond attraction, he cares about you.” Blaise stated leaning forward in his chair slightly and giving Draco a more serious look. “You should have heard him when he floo called me the other day, he was so worried about you and he wanted to know what you’d do if he gave you access to the Black vault… he really wanted to do the right thing.”

“Yeah but it’s Harry isn’t it? He’d probably open his vault to any pathetic soul like me who he felt sorry for.” Draco said quietly.

“Not like this.” Blaise said stubbornly. “I mean he’s generous, sure, he’s donated to loads of charities over the years, made all sorts of philanthropic investments and funded research but this is personal for him because he cares about you.” 

“How do you know what he does with his money?” Draco asked him.

Blaise shrugged casually again. “It’s my job to know what rich people do with their money.” 

“OK so maybe he cares a little about me because we’re friends but how do I know if he wants more or not?” Draco asked, feeling a little insecure but reminding himself that this was Blaise and Daphne, they would always help him with no judgement.

“Oh Draco you’re so cute right now.” Blaise teased.

“Shut it will you!” Draco frowned. Then he sighed dramatically. “I know it’s pathetic that I’m 25 and I still haven’t figured this stuff out but I’ve never wanted a relationship with anyone before so it hasn’t mattered.”

“How has he been treating you this week? Has he done anything significant? Given you a gift maybe or said something particularly meaningful?” Daphne suggested gently.

“He’s been amazing.” Draco said softly. “Living with him is just so much easier and better than I thought it would be. He seems to know exactly when to leave me alone to relax or when to come and find me for a chat. He’s made a real effort to get to know my little routine and things that I like. Yesterday when I came home from work there was a chamomile tea waiting for me and it was on a little tray with biscuits and honey. Then today when I was working here he brought a cinnamon latte to my study… little things like that I guess.”

Draco took another sip of his drink and then thought of something else that’s been playing on his mind. “Also there was something he said, it was so quiet that I wasn’t sure he’d really said it…”

“What did he say?” Daphne prompted quietly with a smile.

“That he cared about me more than I knew.” Draco all but whispered.

The quiet moment was ruined by Blaise’s loud snort. 

Draco looked up at him suddenly.

“Sorry.” Blaise said, shaking his head and smiling. “But you’re both half way in love with each other already, it’s so obvious and you haven’t even done anything yet… It’s adorable but it’s crazy just kiss him already and be done with it, stop second guessing it.”

Draco smiled a tiny smile allowing himself a flicker of hope. Somehow hearing it from someone else gave him confidence. Blaise was always good at reading people and situations, the man was rarely wrong.

“Maybe you’re right.” Draco said as his smile grew.

“I call best man at the wedding.” Blaise said happily.

Daphne quickly jumped into the conversation with a louder, more jovial tone. “You can’t just call that Blaise, maybe Draco will want a best woman instead.”

“Seeing as we’re very far away from that possibility, I might have found better friends by then.” Draco joked.

“Never!” Blaise and Daphne said simultaneously.

Draco laughed and Blaise added “We’re the best and don’t you forget it.”

“I won’t.” Draco said seriously.

It was then that Kreacher called them in for dinner. Draco automatically went to go back into the kitchen but Kreacher stubbornly sealed the door shut with some kind of elf magic that Draco couldn’t break. The elf was absolutely adamant that the formal dining room be used tonight. Draco felt a bit uneasy about going into a room that he’d never set foot in before. He felt at home in the rooms that he frequented now with Harry but this was still the other man’s house and Draco had respected him enough to not look in any of the other rooms of the house. Still, there was no arguing with Kreacher and at least if Harry was annoyed about it Draco could quite rightly blame his house house elf.

Kreacher led them into the dining room and Draco was stunned by how beautiful it was like he had been when he'd seen his bedroom. The two rooms were quite similar in the way, they both seemed to be the lightest rooms he’d seen in the house. This room had a beautiful white wooden floor with a large grey and black brocade rug in the centre of it. The walls were also panelled with white wood one third of the way up and the rest were painted smooth in a crisp white too. It was a lot of white but it made the room shine and it had grey and black in to break it up.

The whole room had more of an old-fashioned regal feel to it, more so than the modern kitchen or the homely sitting room but it was still delicately done and didn’t look too grand and fancy. This style felt more akin to the original house. The centrepiece of the dining room was a large grey wood table with a black trim and the eight chairs around it matched the style but in black wood with grey cushioning. The set sat nicely on top of the rug and it definitely didn’t look lost in the room but there was plenty of space to extend it and add more chairs if needed. There was a more modern addition of a bar on the short left wall but it didn’t look out of place. The bar was fully stocked with spirits on the wall behind and everything you would need to make cocktails. Draco had no idea this was even in the house. 

The long wall facing the door had two black lead glass windows with the odd red diamond in which gave the room a slight bit of colour and grandeur. They were enchanted of course with it being a terraced house and were more decorative than functional with regal white curtains around them that had silver accents on which caught the light. The chandelier was also silver and most of the light was coming through the big black double doors that led out onto the garden. Although there wasn’t much to see because of how overgrown it was. 

Blaise and Daphne had also been looking around of course but Draco noticed they were already sitting opposite each other down one end of the table and Kreacher seemed to be waiting for him to sit down too. 

“Sorry.” He said taking the only other place that was set for dinner which was in between them at the head of the table. “I was just admiring the room.”

“You really never even looked in here?” Blaise asked sceptically as Kreacher started pouring the wine and then set out serving the starter.

“No of course not.” Draco said, almost offended. “I don’t go into any of the rooms that Harry doesn’t use. I just stick to my bedroom, my work spaces and the main communal spaces… I don’t go nosing around behind closed doors.”

“Did Harry not give you a tour when you moved in?” Daphne asked with a slight tone of judgement.

“No.” Draco said casually. “I didn’t think too much about it though, this is Harry we’re talking about, it’s quite possible that he just forgot or didn’t realise it was expected. He showed me to my room and the bathroom, made sure I had what I needed…”

“Still I would have definitely had a nosey around the minute I was left here alone. We should take our own tour after dinner.” Daphne suggested with her usual little mischievous grin and Blaise agreed. Draco knew them well enough to know that this was an entirely serious suggestion.

“That would be rude Daphne.” Draco countered.

“Not really, you live here.” Blaise argued.

“I am a temporary guest. I told Harry it would only be for a month or two until you found us a place.” Draco replied.

“Oh.” Blaise said simply. He opened his mouth to say something else and then seemed to think better of it and looked quite contemplative for a moment.

Draco was keen to move the conversation on so he addressed Daphne as they ate.

“So how’s things with your family now, have they settled down?” He asked kindly.

Daphne nodded slowly. “Yes, they are better. Living at the Dowager House helps actually, mother still likes me being close by but it gives me the space I need away from them when things get too much. Plus it’s a beautiful house and it helps me feel closer to Grandma still, I like the liveliness of London but the grounds of the estate are so lovely and it will always be my home.”

“That’s good, I’m pleased you have found the right balance between being there for your family and having your independence. I know that’s been a struggle for you recently.” Draco said genuinely.

“Yes, it works.” Daphne added. “Polley is really happy to have us too, she was so upset when Grandma died, she thought she’d have to leave but having us in the house to look after makes her really happy. She adores Blaise.”

“Of course she does, who doesn’t?” Blaise said in his mock arrogant tone, smiling. 

Draco turned to the man on his right. “I bet you love having a house elf again too right?”

“Absolutely.” Blaise said seriously. “Makes me wonder why I never got one for the penthouse when mother took ours back to Italy.”

“You can’t have a house elf in the penthouse! They need to have somewhere to sleep themselves you know, plus they would need an actual kitchen to work from not that flashy pretend kitchen that no one has ever actually cooked in.” Draco sneered, but in an affectionate way.

“Hmm you might have a point there.” Blaise replied, finishing off his starter and taking a sip of wine.

Daphne spoke again after putting her glass down. “Anyway, I kept meaning to tell you yesterday, the funeral is on Wednesday so I won’t need to take a day off.”

“You didn’t need to do that Daphne, you’re far more important than the business, I could have sorted something out.” Draco said quickly.

Daphne scoffed. “Draco, no one else in my family even has a job! The least they can do is accommodate mine even if they don’t understand why I like working.”

Draco smiled at that, he supposed it was true.

Kreacher cleared the starters and brought out the mains after topping up Blaise and Daphne’s glass. Draco’s was still mostly full but he did drink some more of it now. Blaise was entertaining them over the main with stories of his numerous client meetings just like old times and Draco was happy to sit back and let someone else lead the conversation. It was nice to relax with his two best friends again and he was grateful Harry had given him this time alone with them even if there was part of him that almost missed him not being here. 

It was Daphne’s turn to entertain them during dessert as Blaise drilled her for information about her budding relationship with George. Draco was surprised he hadn’t asked her the minute she returned from her date last night seeing as they lived together but then it was highly like that Blaise had been out himself until late. Draco stayed mostly quiet again enjoying the humours interactions that Blaise and Daphne had and happy to be out of the spotlight for questions.

Just as they were finishing their desserts around nine o’clock Draco heard the front door and immediately sat up straighter and looked up hopefully. Mumbled voices could be heard in the hallway between Kreacher and Harry and then sure enough the dining room door opened.

Harry walked in looking as handsome as always and he seemed happy.

“So Kreacher put you in here, did he, I did wonder if he would.” He said smiling.

Draco had missed that smile and it had only been about five hours since he’d seen it.

“Yes he was most insistent I’m really sorry Harry, I hope you don’t mind.” Draco said quickly, although seeing Harry’s smile made him less worried about it than he had been.

“Why would I mind?” Harry said, seeming slightly confused. “It’s nice to see it used.” He shrugged as he walked over to where Daphne was sitting.

She went to rise but Harry chivalrously told her not to get up and he lent down to give her a kiss on the cheek as a fond greeting. Then he leaned over the table to shake Blaise’s hand. Draco was in the perfect place to admire the glimpse of Harry’s skin as his shirt rose up slightly when he stretched. He wondered what it would be like to stroke that little patch of skin on his side just above his tight jeans.

Harry casually seated himself next to Daphne and flashed a smile at Draco that reached into his twinkling green eyes. “Miss me?” He asked with a cheeky grin.

Was Harry flirting with him?

“Don’t flatter yourself Potter, it doesn't suit you.” He snapped back playfully automatically following his retort with a flirty smile.

Daphne was classy enough to remain neutral during this little exchange but Blaise was looking back and forth between Harry and Draco gleefully and then when Draco caught his eye he winked at him. Draco flashed him a quick dirty look and then turned away. The man was a menace, what would Harry think if he caught that wink?

Fortunately Blaise saved himself from Draco’s wrath by starting up the conversation again. “You’re just in time Harry, Daphne was just telling us about the end of her date last night, sounds steamy.”

“Oh?” Harry said smiling and turned to Daphne.

“Oh honestly Blaise it wasn’t like that, it was only a kiss. George has been a perfect gentleman so far.” Daphne insisted but Draco saw the corners of her mouth turn upwards softly as she seemingly remembered the moment. 

“A steamy kiss?” Blaise asked with a raised eyebrow and his signature smirk.

“It was a very good kiss and that’s all you need to know.” Daphne said putting an end to that conversation as Kreacher cleared their dessert plates away.

Daphne turned back to Harry. “Harry Dear, Draco refused me a tour of the house without your express permission but you’ll indulge me won’t you? I love the decor and I very much want to see the rest.” She rose from the table elegantly as she finished. “Besides, this might be my only opportunity to visit Harry Potter’s bedroom and I can’t pass that up.”

“It most definitely will be your only opportunity.” Draco said instinctively.

Then panic rose though him suddenly. Shit, had he said that out loud? By the slightly confused but amused look that Harry was giving him and the smirk on Blaise’s face then yes, he most definitely had said it out loud, well wasn’t that mortifying.

Daphne tactically pretended not to notice but Blaise, the meddlesome fool, clapped an enthusiastic hand on Draco’s shoulder and then turned to Harry.

“Don’t mind him Harry, our Draco has a little bit of a possessive side.” Then he actually winked at Harry.

Harry flushed slightly but he looked… pleased possibly.

Harry didn’t seem to be capable of saying anything but he simply stood and held his arm out to Daphne who took it and he led her out of the room just as he reached the door and held it open for Daphne, he turned back to make eye contact with Draco to give him a shy little flirty smile then disappeared out of the room closing the door behind him.

Things were definitely heating up there was no doubt about it.

With Harry gone he was about to chastise Blaise for his actions but when he turned towards him Blaise suddenly looked more serious.

“Draco,” He started. He always said his actual name like that when he wanted to talk to him properly.

“Yes?” Draco prompted him when he didn’t carry on.

Blaise sat up straighter and looked at him in the eye. “Do you actually want me to look for a secure place for us to live together?”

Draco blinked. This hadn’t been what he’d expected Blaise to say. His gut reaction was to say ‘no, not really’ but he didn’t want to offend him after Blaise had confessed how much he’d wanted them to live together. Besides wasn’t this supposed to be a short term thing…

“Why wouldn’t I?” He said casually.

“Because you love living here and you know it.” Blaise said getting straight to the point.

“It’s only been four days Blaise!” Draco scoffed but not really denying the point Blaise made.

“Yes and you’re already the happiest and most relaxed I’ve ever seen you.” Blaise said directly with a knowing look.

Was he really the happiest and most relaxed than he’d ever been? He hadn’t really thought about it but he couldn’t now bring to mind a happier time than the last few days which was crazy considering how the week started.

“Doesn’t mean I wouldn’t be happy living with you Blaise, and Daphne too if that’s what she wants.” Draco decided to go down this route instead of admitting exactly how much he liked living here.

“Not like this you wouldn’t, and that’s OK. I get it.” Blaise shrugged. “Besides, I think Daphne is really happy at her Grandmother’s house. I know it’s sad that she died but I honestly do think the place is perfect for Daphne… She hasn’t said as much but I don’t think she’ll want to leave.”

“But what about you?” Draco asked, feeling pretty guilty that it was kind of his fault Blaise had a target on his back from Lucius now.

“Living with Daphne is fun but I honestly don’t really mind where… a house is just a house to me, it’s just things… as long as I’ve got a comfortable bed and a big enough wardrobe I’m good.” He said casually. “More than anything I want you and Daphne to both be happy, if you’re happy then I’m happy.”

“Well,” Draco started. “I am happy here… it has everything I need, especially as I can have you guys round now. I feel safe here and the environment relaxes me, and it’s not as if I feel entitled to a share of the Black inheritance but… I guess I feel less guilty taking the money than anyone else's and the house feels like it belongs in my family maybe… I know it’s still Harry’s but-”

“It feels like it could be yours together?” Blaise asked quietly with a small smile.

Draco sighed. “Maybe I guess but the reality of the situation is we only agreed that I would be here for a month or two, we never discussed anything more…”

“Draco,” Blaise said with a soft but bewildered expression on his face. “The way I understand it is that he’s gone above and beyond to make sure you have everything you could ever possibly need here for your personal life and your business. Think about everything he’s done to make you feel welcome here… do you honestly believe that is a man who wants you to leave after a month or two?”

Blaise paused for dramatic effect and Draco let his words sink in for a moment before he continued. “It looks to me like he’s doing everything he can already to convince you to stay.”

Draco thought about it, he really thought about it, and he realised that Blaise had a point.

There was a moment of silence before Blaise spoke up again. “Stay here, let yourself be happy, live your life with Harry… and for Merlin’s sake kiss him already or I will.”

“You would not!” Draco growled at him in a low dangerous tone.

“No I wouldn’t” Blaise agreed with a soft laugh. “But someone else might and if you leave it too long then you’ll end up in the friend/housemate zone permanently so just do it.”

“Alright, alright, I will!” Draco gave in and he realised he might have to make the first move after all. 

*~*

Friday night had been really fun and it had given Draco a lot to think about. He woke up refreshed on Saturday determined to forget his insecurities and just go for it with Harry. All the little moments they had could be misinterpreted that’s true but if you put everything together then Draco was sure Harry felt something for him on some level and if he didn’t then he might after Draco finally worked out the courage to kiss him. Draco would make sure it was the best damn kiss he’d ever had.

Harry was even more groggy than usual over breakfast and Draco noticed he made himself an espresso than he downed silently before his usual mug of strong black coffee. He really needed to do something about Harry’s lack of sleep, it was the least he could do. 

Draco called into the shop quickly after breakfast to check in on Graham. He examined all the potions the shop assistant had made yesterday and the stock list that he’d done and was pretty impressed. It was a relief to him to know that Graham could be relied on and he made sure Graham knew how much his help was appreciated. He gave Graham the job of restocking the shop and brewing the additional potions that were needed for the shelves and he took the list of perfumes and other products that needed restocking back to Grimmauld Place to make as he didn’t quite trust Graham with those yet.

When he got back Harry didn’t seem to be home and Kreacher confirmed that he had gone out. Obviously he knew Harry had his own life and could go as he pleased but so far he’d always told Draco when he was going out so it was a bit strange and Draco couldn’t help but worry and wonder. He put it to the back of his mind though and went down to make some products. There was one new thing in particular that he wanted to try.

About an hour later Harry came to find him to say that he was home. Apparently he’d just popped out to the muggle supermarket which Draco understood to be a big shop where you could get a variety of different things under the same roof.

“I bought the Lord of the Rings DVD’s, thought we could watch the first one tonight if you wanted to?” Harry asked him casually.

“Sure, that would be good.” Draco answered back with a smile.

Harry left him to his work for a bit but around lunchtime he popped his head back in to ask if Draco wanted to join him. Draco agreed and followed him up the stone steps to the kitchen. He quizzed Harry about what the muggle supermarket was like over lunch. Draco worked for the rest of the day still wanting to make his business a priority in his life and taking extra care of the things he wanted to make for Harry as one of them was a bit experimental. 

Around five o’clock he had finished work for the day and he was smelling some delicious smells from the kitchen. He could also hear some music which was new. He walked into the kitchen somewhat stealthily which was easy over the noise of the music and hovered in the doorway to watch Harry for a moment. He was sort of dancing, but badly and chopping vegetables at the same time. On the stove was a pan of different spices being toasted off which is where the lovely smell was coming from. The music seemed to be coming from this small rectangular black box with a long silver thing sticking out of the top.

Finally Harry looked up and saw Draco watching him and then he flushed slightly with embarrassment and stood still.

“Don’t stop dancing on my account, if that counts as dancing that is.” Draco teased lightly.

“Yeah well I’m not known for my dancing…” Muttered Harry. “I mean you saw me at the Yule Ball right?!”

“Oh yes I saw you alright.” Draco said flirtatiously. “Harry Potter in dress robes for the first time was quite a sight.”

Harry changed his expression to a slightly surprised, but happy one.

“What is that thing?” Asked Draco.

“It’s a muggle radio.” Harry said as a sort of explanation even though Draco was none the wiser. “Impulse buy from the supermarket, I thought it might help me sleep.” He said quietly still with his back to Draco.

“Oh.” Draco frowned to himself, thinking.. “Because of the music? Do you not like the quiet?”

“Something like that.” Harry admitted. 

Draco thought that he would tackle this again tomorrow when he’d had time to test his products.

“So what are you cooking?” Was the question he asked instead.

“Curry.” Harry said simply. “You seemed to like the one you had at the restaurant that time so I thought I’d make one for you. It’s my favourite thing to cook but don’t worry I won’t make it too spicy for you.”

“I’m looking forward to it.” Draco smiled.

“You have time for a bath though if you want, it will take about an hour, or later of course, whatever you want but the film is quite long if you still want to watch it after dinner.” Harry said, returning to his chopping.

Harry’s constant thoughtfulness for his needs, desires and routines was touching. He said he would quite like a bath now so he left Harry to his cooking. He returned almost an hour later to wonderfully fragrant smells and Harry casually propping himself up against the counter in the kitchen wearing his pyjamas and drinking a beer.

As always Harry smiled when Draco entered the room, also wearing his pyjamas. He raised his drink.

“Figured one wouldn’t hurt, curry without beer is almost criminal.” He said a bit sheepishly.

“Of course.” Draco smiled back. “You don’t have to avoid alcohol completely if you don’t want to. It's just about not using it as a coping mechanism but enjoying the taste alongside food or having the odd social drink or two with friends is probably fine. Only you can judge that though.”

Draco walked to the fridge where he knew there was still some white wine open from last night and poured himself a glass. He was getting more confident now at just helping himself with things in the kitchen. The curry was really tasty, he was amazed at how Harry could combine all these different ingredients to get all these different flavours. They chatted a little about what he should expect from the film over dinner but Harry didn’t say too much as he didn’t want to spoil it. 

After asking Kreacher kindly to clean up, they went through into the sitting room. Draco relaxed in his usual spot on the sofa. Harry put this weird shiny round thing into a slot on the side of the television and sat on the sofa too. Draco couldn’t help but notice Harry sat almost in the middle of the sofa a bit closer to him than he usually sat. Then he summoned the blanket and carefully draped it over both their laps without actually touching Draco but Draco could breathe in Harry’s familiar woody scent with just a hint of cinnamon as the man leaned over.

The film started to play and Harry got settled next to him. Draco almost forgot to pay attention to the start of the film as he thought about what it would be like to snuggle into the raven headed man. He forced his mind back to the screen and they watched together. It was good, but he kept having a lot of questions. Fortunately Harry seemed to find them amusing rather than annoying.

…

“So that’s Gandalf?” Draco asked.

“Yep, that’s him.”

“If he’s a wizard, why is he travelling by horse and cart?”

“You have to realise that he’s not a real wizard like us, it’s a story written by muggles so it’s just what they think magic could be like in that fantasy world.” Harry answered.

Draco was still a bit baffled by it but he let it go.

…

“Those two are kind of like a small Fred and George with the fireworks and the mischief.” Draco pointed out.

Harry chuckled. “Yeh they are a bit. Pippin especially always makes me laugh.”

…

“If Gandalf is magic then why doesn’t he help them get to that pub place a bit more easily rather than making them go on foot with the ring?” Draco frowned.

“I told you, it’s just made up. You have to kind of forget what we know to be real and just enjoy it for what it is.” 

Harry shook his head a little in an amused way next to him and wriggled down into the sofa a bit more, getting ever so slightly closer to Draco. 

…

“That Strider guy is pretty fit.” Draco said approvingly.

Harry laughed. “Yeah I thought you’d like him. He definitely is but he’s not my favourite.”

“Oh? Which one do you fancy then?” Draco asked, genuinely intrigued.

“We haven’t seen him yet.”

Hmm so it’s a male then. 

Draco shifted slightly towards Harry and leaned that way tucking his feet up next to him. His left thigh was so close to Harry’s right one now that they were almost touching. Almost but not quite.

…

“They look a bit like Death Eaters.” Draco said with disgust.

Harry turned to face him looking slightly concerned. “Yeah they do a bit, will you be OK?”

Draco scoffed. “If I get scared I’ll let you know and you can comfort me.” He said flirtatiously. 

Harry smiled and there was a twinkle in those brilliant eyes of his. “OK.” 

Harry then shifted a bit looking like he was trying to get more comfortable. He raised his feet up to rest them on the coffee table in front of him and he turned ever so slightly towards Draco putting his right arm across the back of the sofa. Draco could feel the warmth radiating off the skin of his bare arm behind his neck. It made him want to lean back into Harry’s arm but he didn’t.

…

“There, that’s the one I like.” Harry said with a broad smile.

“Yeah he’s quite handsome. I’ll give you that.” Draco replied looking again at his first indication of what Harry found to be attractive. Draco was looking at the smooth pale skin of the man and his long almost white blond silky hair. Hmm, that was interesting.

“He looks a bit like you actually.” Harry said quietly. 

Draco’s breath hitched and his stomach did a little flip but he kept it cool.

“You saying you find me handsome Harry?” He said playfully.

Harry looked straight ahead to the screen. “Come on Draco, you’ve always known you’re good looking you don’t need me to tell you that.” His tone was light but Draco could sense a slight nervousness there.

This was good. Harry definitely fancied him, Draco could have some fun with this.

“Perhaps not but it’s always nice to hear... especially from you.” He added after a dramatic pause.

“Well if you need your confidence boosting then you're actually better looking than him, it’s your eyes… they're even nicer than his.” Harry’s voice seemed more relaxed there and there was a definite warmth to it.

Draco smiled to himself. Harry thought he had nice eyes but Draco knew they were nothing on his.

…

“The dwarf and your fancy elf man don’t seem to like each other very much.” Draco commented.

This time Harry turned to look at him and smiled. “They are influenced by old prejudices but they don’t really know each other. When they do they might realise they can help each other and be friends.”

…

“That’s so romantic that she gave up a mortal life to be with him.” Draco thought out loud.

“Didn’t know you were such a romantic Draco.” Harry said fondly.

Draco shrugged. “Neither did I.”

He watched the kiss between Arwen and Aragon and thought about what he’d promised himself and Blaise last night. When would be the time to try and kiss Harry… was he brave enough?

Just as the kiss was finishing on the screen Draco felt Harry shift next to him ever so slightly again and then their thighs were touching, lightly pressed against each other separated only by a few layers of material.

Was Harry thinking about the kiss too?

…

“No” Draco cried out suddenly. “Not Gandalf... You didn’t tell me that he died!”

Harry smiled a kind of knowing smile that Draco didn’t quite understand. He shifted again and bought his right arm down from the top of the sofa and placed it gently on Draco’s thigh. “It will be alright.” Was all he said.

Draco wasn’t even thinking about the film anymore though. He was thinking about Harry’s hand that was resting on his leg. It was over the top of the blanket and the pressure was only light but Draco could still feel it comforting him and Harry didn’t move it away.

…

“So Boromir is good really?” Draco asked.

“Yeah… a good guy that was just tempted by power and what he could do with it” Harry said slightly sadly.

“Oh.” Draco said as he watched another arrow pierce the man’s chest. “That’s sad.”

“Yeah.” Harry agreed. He seemed sad all of a sudden. The man had seen too much death that Draco knew.

Instinctively he moved and gently lay his head on Harry’s shoulder. It felt so good to be this close to him. Their bodies lightly touching and Harry’s hand gave Draco’s thigh an affectionate squeeze.

…

“Sam is good for not leaving Frodo.” Draco said a little while later.

His head was still just about resting on Harry’s shoulder and Harry had tentatively put his arm round the back of the sofa again but this time slowly brought his hand down so it was resting on Draco's shoulder. It was still only a light pressure, Harry didn't quite have his arm around him but he almost did. Their body’s relaxed around each other into this natural position.

“Yeah Sam’s the best.” Harry agreed. “He’s so loyal, just like Ron really.”

“So does that make you Frodo?” Draco said smiling to himself.

Harry screwed his nose up a bit. “I’d prefer to be Aragon.”

Draco laughed. “No, you’re definitely Frodo.”

“What because I’m short with messy hair and constantly walk into danger stupidly?” Harry scoffed.

“No.” Draco said quietly. “Because you’re the hero.”

Harry was quiet for a moment then he said “maybe you’ll see that Frodo wouldn’t have got very far without Sam… or any of the others.”

Draco lifted his head so that his body was still leaning a little against Harry but he was looking at his face. Harry turned his head towards him and looked back.

“Maybe that’s true.” Draco said softly. “But they followed him because they believed in him... because he has the biggest heart and the purest soul...”

Green eyes were searching grey and Draco noticed Harry swallowing thickly.

“Are we still talking about Frodo?” He asked softly.

“No Harry, I don’t think we are.” Draco replied in barely more than a whisper.

Harry was looking at him again trying to understand the words that Draco was not saying. It was like their eyes were having a silent conversation. He wasn’t sure if either of them were breathing. Was this the moment? Should he kiss Harry now? He could, their faces were so close together now and Harry seemed to be just waiting there for him. The end of the film was completely forgotten as some names appeared on the screen but neither man paid attention to them. 

The tension was thick in the air and Draco’s chest was hurting in anticipation, a knotted fire just pulsing there. He wanted so badly to feel Harry’s lips on his but somehow he couldn’t bring himself to do it. What if Harry pushed him away? He wasn’t sure if he could ever cope with that rejection. 

He turned his face away and pulled back like a coward and then hated himself for it. The minute he turned away he knew it was the wrong decision but he couldn’t get those seconds back, the moment was ruined. Draco had taken the easy way out, the cowards choice. 

He’d taken the cowards choice once before when Dumbledore had offered him a way out. He thought back to that moment, what could have happened if he hadn’t hesitated, what could have happened if he’d done the right thing. The right thing was the hard choice but could it have been worth it? He’d never know now…

There was a familiar voice next to him that called out his name softly, like a prayer. “Draco…”

Then suddenly that fire in him was back again and he knew he wanted to make the hard choice now, the one that was risky and could cause him a lot of pain… but that could also give him everything he ever wanted.

Draco turned to find those deep green eyes once again looking into his soul and he realised that Harry had leaned in to close the gap after Draco had pulled away and their faces were close yet again. 

This time he didn’t hesitate.

His lips found Harry’s and suddenly the fire in Draco’s chest was spreading out to every inch of his body as he relaxed into the kiss. Harry’s hand had trailed lightly over his body from it’s resting place on Draco’s shoulder and was now cupped gently around the back of his neck as they continued to move their lips softly against each other’s. Draco moved his own arm to wrap around Harry’s waist and pull him closer as the intensity of the kiss grew. Harry’s mouth was fierce and insistent against his now but in the most delicious way, it was never overbearing, just enough for Draco to feel his desire, his passion. Draco parted his lips slightly inviting Harry in further and Harry responded instantly slipping a gentle but demanding tongue into Draco’s welcoming mouth. 

Draco felt like he was kissing someone for the first time. This experience was everything compared to those desperate passionless kisses with strangers in the dark. This was desperate too but in a completely different way. Before the kisses had just been foreplay but Draco had been constantly aware of his hard cock feeling trapped in his trousers and that had been all that had mattered. Now though Draco wasn’t really sure he could feel anything except the warmth in his chest. This kiss was all heart.

Harry was kissing Draco like his life depended on it and Draco thought that his possibly might as there was no way he could have this perfect moment and go on living without having it again and again and again.

This was it for him now. Harry was it for him now.

Nothing and no one would ever compare.

Not to this.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ahhhhhh!!!!!!
> 
> And breathe!
> 
> What did you think?  
> That was actually the first kiss scene I've ever written so keen to know how it read. Was it too much? Too little?  
> Things will really start to get fun now! :D
> 
> Also nice to know that Daphne and George shared a little kiss too! ;)
> 
> For those of you interested to see the dining room see:  
> https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/764837949208262108/


	23. Harry: Sunday 16th October

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Harry and Draco talk about that kiss and a few other things!   
> Lots of conversation this chapter and they take another step forward in their relationship.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm pleased to tell you that this is my longest chapter yet! Enjoy!  
> This is Draco's time to look after Harry now!
> 
> Sorry I didn't get it out yesterday but 11,000+ words take time to write!!
> 
> A nice little Harry, Hermione and Ron moment here with a brief cameo by George and a tiny Fred moment too!  
> Other than that it is pure Harry and Draco! They still have so much left to talk about about... and so much left to do ;)

Harry was sitting in his bedroom drinking coffee. This was rare for him, he usually waited for Draco now and had it in the kitchen but he couldn’t face Draco this morning without caffeine. He had tried to sleep, he really did try, he had bought the radio up to his bedroom and even transfigured his bed into a single bed similar to the one he’d had in Gryffindor tower. It was better, it felt less empty and the noise from the radio made him feel like he wasn’t alone… Any other night it might have even worked... but how was he supposed to sleep after that kiss? 

That kiss… It had been everything and Harry just kept replaying it over and over in his mind.

He’d had his fair share of heated sloppy kisses with the muggle men he’d hooked up with years ago but he’d never much cared for them. It was only when he started things with Fred he realised kisses could be good but even then there had never been that level of intensity, that fire. Draco was soft but strong, he was gentle but fierce. Everything about Draco was a contradiction in the best possible way and it made Harry feel alive for the first time in ages. He wasn’t just coasting along anymore, he was really living.

Except he was tired, there was no denying that. He was so fucking tired. His run yesterday had turned into more of a walk really, he just had very little energy at the moment. He hadn’t slept properly in a week now and it was catching up on him. He felt like coffee was the only thing keeping him going. Well, coffee and the thought of Draco… Everytime Draco was around somehow he could forget how tired he was, Draco gave him energy, gave him life.

Was Draco thinking about the kiss too? What if Draco thought it was a mistake? What if he woke up this morning and said ‘thanks for the kiss Harry but let’s not do that again yeah?’ What would Harry do then? What would keep him going then? Or what if Draco just ignored the kiss completely, then what? What if he just came down to breakfast like nothing had changed? Because for Harry everything had changed. 

There was movement now, outside on the landing. Draco was up and he was going down the stairs. What would Draco do when he didn’t find Harry in the kitchen as normal? Would he be upset or relieved? That was partly why Harry was hiding in his room with his coffee he supposed, then at least the morning would be different than any other in some way. If Draco wanted to ignore the kiss and not face Harry then he could. He could get his own breakfast now and start the day without Harry. Maybe it was a cowardly move, maybe he should be waiting for Draco this morning but Harry wasn’t sure if he could cope with the pain if Draco told him he regretted the moment they had shared. Not when it was the best thing that had happened to Harry in a long time.

Although, Draco hadn’t seemed like he regretted it, not straight away at least. Harry wasn’t sure who pulled back first but it had come to an end in some way. Draco hadn’t withdrawn hastily though, his hand had rested on Harry’s waist for a moment and he had looked into Harry’s eyes. Then, as the credits had finished running, Harry had asked Draco what he thought of the film which had led to a fun friendly chat about it. They had laughed and talked on the sofa as they had before, not touching, not addressing the kiss but not being awkward either, it had been perfectly comfortable.

Then a little while later, around the time that Draco always went to bed he had leaned over and given Harry one small chaste kiss on the lips. “Goodnight Harry.” Was all he had said before he got up and left the room and their second kiss had been over before it began… but still, it had happened… and Draco wouldn’t have kissed Harry a second time if he regretted the first would he?

Just then there was a gentle knock on the door. Harry had been so away with his thoughts that he hadn’t even heard footsteps on the stairs.

“Harry?” Came the quietest voice outside his door.

Harry didn’t move yet to answer it or call out. He just sat on the hardwood floor and downed the last of his extra strong coffee gathering his strength to find out what the relationship between him and his new housemate would be like now.

“Harry...? If you’re sleeping then that’s good, I won’t bother you…” Draco’s soft voice called out kindly. “But if you’re hiding from me then I need you to know that you don’t have to…”

There was a slight tone of uncertainty in that last sentence, was Draco worried too? As worried as Harry was about messing things up between them? Whatever his own fears were of being rejected Harry knew for sure that he didn’t want Draco to feel them. If Draco did genuinely like him then he wanted him to know the feeling was returned. He couldn’t bear to think of Draco hurting, unsure of his affection or not.

If it turned out that Draco’s attention towards him was no more than physical or casual then… then Harry would be the one hurting but he’d rather that than have Draco hurt. He’d get over it in time.

He heard more signs of movement the other side of his door and it sounded like Draco was walking away. He had to face this now.

“Draco, wait!” He called out stronger than he felt. “You can come in… please.”

Then his bedroom door was opening and Draco stepped in slowly looking every bit as good as he always did. Looking at him made Harry’s heart ache, he was just so beautiful, like a ray of light coming into the room. He’d made an effort this morning too, especially considering it was his day off. He was wearing his jeans again that Harry really liked and had paired them with a soft grey jumper that brought out his eyes. The eyes that Harry had complimented last night.

“Harry…” Draco said softly again as their eyes locked across the room. Harry loved the way he said his name. “Harry what are you doing on the floor?”

Draco seemed like he had started to say something else but then frowned at Harry as he looked at him. Harry didn’t blame him, he probably looked like a right state in his dark red pajama trousers and old white t-shirt, that wasn’t really that white anymore, sitting on the floor in a crumpled heap with his messy hair all over the place.

“Harry?” Draco prompted again when Harry didn’t answer. Draco came and simply sat opposite him cross legged on the wooden floor of his bedroom close enough to reach out and touch him. 

“Talk to me.” Draco said softly and then he laid a single hand delicately on Harry’s knee, fingers just lightly touching.

“Sorry.” Harry said looking at Draco. “I’m just tired, not really with it this morning.”

“Another sleepless night?” Draco asked sadly.

Harry nodded but said nothing. Draco looked distressed at Harry’s news but he didn’t press the matter.

“You already made your coffee.” Draco pointed out looking at the empty mug on the floor next to him. 

“Yeah…” Harry started. “Sorry, I just need to get some energy, but I can make you some…”

Draco shook his head slightly but was smiling softly. “No, I’m fine, thank you. I thought- I thought you might be avoiding me this morning.” 

Harry brought his hand and placed it on top of Draco’s. He squeezed it lightly. “I half was I suppose but not because I didn’t want to see you… I just thought I’d give you the opportunity to avoid me in case…”

“In case what?” Draco prompted after Harry trailed off, he wasn’t good with words at the best of time but he just couldn’t seem to find them this morning with his head this foggy. 

When he didn’t reply again Draco asked the question. “In case I wanted to pretend that last night never happened?”

“I suppose so.” Harry admitted feebly. 

He didn’t like being feeble though, it wasn’t him. He was insecure a lot of the time, more so than people thought but he was still a Gryffindor for a reason, he always found courage from somewhere when he needed it and this was the time.

“I don’t want you to think that I regret it though, because I don’t.” He said fiercely.

Draco’s smile grew. “You don’t?” He asked coyly.

“Not one bit.” Harry said, searching Draco’s eyes for what the man was feeling. Did he feel the connection that Harry felt? 

Harry thought he did and it gave him confidence. “In fact I was rather hoping it would happen again sometime.”

“It can happen anytime you like Harry.” Draco said boldly.

Harry leaned in and kissed Draco this time, full on the mouth with no ounce of hesitation. It wasn’t quite chaste, it was determined and he lingered for longer than necessary but he drew back before it became anything more. He wanted to see Draco’s face.

Draco’s smile was broad now and he looked so handsome, so content and relaxed. Suddenly Harry didn’t feel tired at all. Suddenly he felt like he could run a marathon.

“Come on.” Draco said standing up and holding out his hand to Harry. “Let’s get you some breakfast and tonight I’m going to make sure you sleep.”

Harry smiled and took his hand. He allowed Draco to pull him up. The man was stronger than he looked. He was still very slender but he had put on some weight in the last week now that he was eating properly and it suited him.

When Harry was standing Draco pulled him over to the bed and gently pushed him down onto it. He let go of him and stood by the bed for a second. Then he slowly stretched out his hand to Harry and trailed his fingers lightly down the side of Harry’s face. “Stay here. Let me take care of you for once, I’ll be back.” Draco said tenderly.

Harry leaned his face into Draco’s touch and nodded. He still didn’t know what they were to each other, what to call this… thing between them, but he knew that Draco cared and that was enough for now.

Draco went down the stairs and Harry leaned back onto the headboard of the bed happily. At least things weren’t awkward between them, that would have been horrible… and Harry could kiss Draco anytime he liked. That’s what Draco had said, that thought made Harry smile.

It was quite a while before Draco came back again. Harry wondered what he was up to but he trusted him and he listened to his instructions to stay. Mostly Harry liked being the one to take care of Draco. He’d always wanted someone to take care of but it hadn’t been what Fred needed from him. He realised this week that Draco needed him and he liked that, but really he needed Draco just as much and maybe Draco wanted to feel useful too... maybe he wanted to take care of Harry so Harry thought he would let him.

When Draco did return he had a tray with a plate and a glass of orange juice on it and another matching tray floating along behind him. Harry sat up on the bed straighter as Draco passed him one tray. Then Draco perched on the other bed of the bed, the other tray coming to rest elegantly on his lap.

“Full cooked English breakfast in bed? This is a treat.” Harry said happily, looking down at the plate.

Draco looked happy too but slightly sheepish as he admitted “Kreacher cooked most of it… but I asked him to make it and then watched what he was doing. He even let me help a bit so I could learn… and I squeezed the oranges myself, by hand!” 

“You did plenty, thanks.” Harry said tucking in thinking he could get used to being taken care of. “This is really good”

Draco was looking around him at Harry’s room properly for the first time as he ate and when he spoke it was slightly hesitant. “Harry… why do you have a single bed?”

“Oh, er, recent change…” Harry said slightly awkwardly. 

He wasn’t sure how much he wanted to admit… but then hadn’t Draco proved he could listen and not judge? Hadn't Draco proved he cared, that he would help? If this… ‘relationship’ stood a chance then Harry knew they would have to carry on opening up to one another. 

“I’ve never actually slept in a double bed by myself, not really.” Harry found himself saying. “I have had the odd night here over the years of course but I was always on Dreamless Sleep so it knocked me out. I, erm, I sleep quite curled up, I don’t take up a lot of space… I think it’s still because of all those years, erm, in the cupboard under the stairs like I told you… I liked my bed at Hogwarts, it felt big compared to the cupboard but it was nice having Ron and the others there. Even the noise of Neville’s snores were strangely comforting. Then during the holidays I was either in a single bed with the noise of my cousin snoring next door or sharing a room with Ron somewhere. After the battle I stayed at the Burrow for a bit with Ron and then like I said, I slept at the ministry a lot and then at Hermione’s… sometimes someone else’s...”

“Harry, I’m sorry… I didn’t realise, I didn’t think…” Draco said softly, his voice was not pitiful but full of care.

“It’s ok, why would you?” Harry said as he took a sip of his orange juice. “I don’t really understand it all myself. I only think that’s why, or part of the reason. It’s just, without anything to help me get to sleep, I just lay in the big bed alone in the quiet… it just didn’t feel comforting. So I’ve been staying down the stairs on the sofa, curled up with the blanket in front of the TV… I have been getting a few hours here and there but I know it’s not enough so I thought the radio up here and the smaller bed would help…”

“But it didn’t?” Draco asked, just trying to help, trying to understand.

“It was nice to be in bed again, it was better. I think it could work…” Harry thought out loud. “I’ll try again tonight, it might be better.”

“I have something that might help too.” Draco said kindly. “Remind me later.” 

Harry wanted to say that he knew what might help him sleep but it was way too soon for that, so instead he just nodded but he did want to somehow bring the conversation back round to last night, he felt they needed to talk about it. 

“I, erm, I had something else on my mind last night that was keeping me up too.” Harry smiled shyly at Draco. 

Draco feigned ignorance. “Oh? And what might that have been?”

“You and that amazing kiss you idiot.” Harry laughed.

“Amazing was it?” Draco asked with a raised eyebrow.

“Yeh it really was…” Harry smiled fondly as he remembered the feel of Draco’s soft lips on his. “Was it… for you?” He asked slightly nervously, feeling like a bit of an idiot all of a sudden.

Draco chuckled softly in a way that Harry rarely heard but he liked it. “It was alright.” He said shrugging with a tiny mischievous smile. 

“Fine!” Harry snapped back playfully. “Well if you think you can get better elsewhere then be my guest.”

Draco laughed again, this time properly. He made flirtatious eyes with Harry over their breakfast trays. “I’m not sure it gets any better than that Harry, it was a damn good kiss.”

Harry flirted back. “Well we can always try again and see if we can do better.”

“I like the sound of that.” Draco said softly and in a more serious tone.

Harry turned his attention back to breakfast and they finished it in a comfortable silence. When he was done he looked over to Draco again who was also finished so he called Kreacher to take the empty trays. 

When they were left alone in the room again Harry stretched out his legs on the bed so his bare feet were near where Draco was still perched. Draco turned and sat back against the foot of the bed mirroring Harry’s position and laying his legs out in front of him. His feet were close to Harry but he was wearing socks. Harry rested his hand gently on the bottom of Draco’s shin and looked up at him with so many questions running through his head.

Draco seemed to sense this. “What’s on your mind?” He asked quietly.

Harry took a deep breath. “Well, we don’t need to have a really long conversation about it or anything and I don’t need a label, I’m not that needy…” He lied. “But, I- I just wanted to know whether this… thing… between us, whether it’s purely a physical attraction for you or whether there is anything more there.” He finished with more confidence than he felt.

“Is that what you’re worried about?” Draco asked in mild disbelief. “That I just find you fit but I don’t actually like you or something?”

Harry squired slightly uncomfortably on the bed. “On some level I suppose, I mean I know you like me enough, as a friend, I can see that you care… but I- argh, this sounds really arrogant and I don’t mean it to but I gather from the looks I get and what people say to me that I’m reasonable attractive now which is weird because I never really saw myself like that before… but I guess I know that I worked out pretty hard and I keep myself fit now-”

“You say that like it’s a bad thing.” Draco said with a raised eyebrow.

Harry smiled slightly at the look that Draco was giving him. He couldn’t deny that everytime Draco looked at him like that it made him feel pretty good. He’d always been mildly uncomfortable when other people looked at him like that before.

“Well I didn’t do it for the sake of appearance, the working out I mean… When I started it after the war it was to focus my energy into something and make me feel strong. I told you before there was a lot of pressure on me to be the best auror, everyone expected it of me because of what I’d already done… Anyway, hand to hand combat is part of auror training, we had to be physically tough on some level in case we had to tackle a target without our wand, or chase after someone, or restrain a muggle… And it was another way of me making sure I never felt vulnerable without a wand… I don’t really keep up the fitness stuff now like I used to but I like running, it clears my head so that’s why I do it, more for my mental health than my physical health I guess.” Harry finished.

“Yeah, I can understand all that.” Draco said honestly. “But why are you telling me this? You think I have a problem with you being fit? Because I can tell you that I most definitely do not.”

Harry laughed softly. “No, I don’t think that… I was just trying to say that I get a lot of attention, everywhere I go and obviously in the wizarding world that is mostly because of who I am but it happens in the muggle world a lot too… I mean you saw the waitress in the restaurant that time… I’ve never been entirely comfortable with being attractive I guess and I wanted you to know the reason why I got my muscles I suppose… otherwise it seems contradictory. Part of the reason why I stopped dating and stopped going out was because I was never sure if someone actually liked me for who I was or if it was because I was Harry Potter or because I was fit… does that make sense?”

Draco stretched out his hand to rest it on Harry’s lower leg now too and he started rubbing little comforting circles through the fabric of his pajama trousers. 

“It does make a lot of sense, all of it.” Draco said thoughtfully. Then he looked straight into his eyes. “But I know you Harry. I’ve seen you grow up, mostly, and I’ve seen a lot of different sides to you, you’ve told me stuff, personal things and well I’m still here aren’t I?” He smiled softly.

“I’m not some fanboy who just wants to kiss Harry Potter so he can sell the story to the Prophet, you know that. If anything, your fame puts me off!” Draco continued half joking.

“Oh thanks!” Harry said, rolling his eyes.

Draco laughed slightly but when he spoke it was serious. “Only because I don’t want to be in the spotlight. I just want a nice quiet normal life where no one bothers me.” He took a deep breath. “Being with you terrifies me if I’m honest… but being without you scares me more.”

“It does?” Harry said quietly. 

Draco had said the exact thing that Harry had been thinking for ages now. He was terrified at being in a proper relationship with anyone let alone Draco, but now the man was in his life again in the best possible way he definitely didn’t want to find out what it would be like to lose him.

Draco nodded slowly. There was a pause for a moment and when he spoke again he was looking down at the bed rather in Harry’s eyes. “But I like you Harry, the real you, everything about you, so you don’t need to worry about that. It’s not just physical, not for me.”

Harry gave Draco a gentle nudge with his foot so that he looked up and he could see into his eyes. “I like everything about you too.” He said, smiling broadly not able to keep his happiness at Draco’s words hidden.

“Good, that’s good then.” Draco said smiling broadly back. He gave Harry a playful nudge with his foot too. “So you planning on getting dressed anytime today or is it a pajama day?”

Harry groaned very so slightly. “I’ve got to get dressed, I’m going to the Burrow for lunch.”

“Oh.” Draco said quietly looking away. “Yeah, of course I forgot about that.”

“I’m sorry…” Harry stated slightly awkwardly. “I have to go, I missed it last week. If I’m not there Molly will think something’s wrong. Plus Teddy will be there too-”

“Harry it’s fine.” Draco said cutting him off. “Of course you should go, I don’t need you here all the life, you have a life, a family. Go and have fun.” He smiled at Harry but he didn’t look convinced.

“What will you do when I’m out?” Harry asked.

“Well I thought I’d take a look at that catalogue you mentioned to order myself some new clothes. Then I can add variety to my wardrobe and finally give things to Kreacher for a proper wash. Freshening charms are fine but nothing beats house elves magic.” Draco smiled.

“Agreed.” Harry interjected.

“Also I would genuinely like to learn to cook so I might look at some of those books.” Draco said thoughtfully. “I feel like, with a recipe, it must be similar to brewing. I’m sure I can follow instructions particularly in the magic ones.”

“Yeah I’m sure you can.” Harry said flatteringly. “Feel free to try anything out in the kitchen any time. I’m sure between that cooked breakfast and Molly’s Sunday lunch I definitely won’t be hungry later so you and Kreacher you can feed yourself today!”

“No problem.” Draco said simply.

“I’ve still got some time though before I need to leave.” Harry said. “I thought maybe we could go over the notes you had on the first year stuff for the book then I can give you the third and fourth year chapters to read too while I’m out if you have time. If you don’t then there’s no hurry but if you do then we can discuss them tonight?”

Draco nodded enthusiastically. “Yes let’s do that, I’ll have time.”

“OK then.” Harry said, feeling happy. “Let me just get dressed and I’ll meet you in my study with the notes?”

“Can’t I stay and watch you get dressed?” Draco said cheekily.

Harry felt his cheeks flush at the thought of what that could lead to but he definitely wanted to take things slow. “No you can’t, now get out.”

“Oh you’re no fun.” Draco laughed as he got off the bed and walked towards the door.

*~*

“Harry, mate?... Harry!”

“Huh? Er, what… sorry?” Harry shook the thoughts from his head again as he tried to concentrate on what was happening now.

“You’ve been really distracted today, you didn’t say a word during lunch… are you OK?” Ron asked him as they sat on the patio under warming charms watching the children play with their Uncles Charlie and Fred. 

“Yeah I’m fine Ron, sorry, I am listening, what did Robards say when you told him?” Harry said, trying to sound interested in office politics.

“Well he said I did the right thing but it’s just hard when Jones is pissed off with me about it, I thought he was a decent bloke.” Ron said, shrugging.

“That’s what being in charge is about Ron, making the tough calls, the ones you know are right for the department as a whole… you’re never going to please everyone.” Harry said issuing general advice as he hadn’t really been listening to the specifics of the situation.

“Yeah… That’s what Mione said too.” Ron nodded along.

“Well then, there you go, when has Hermione ever been wrong!” Harry said happily thinking at least if he agreed with Hermione he hadn’t done too badly fumbling his way through the conversation.

“True, she is usually right…” Ron trailed off slightly awkwardly. “She gave me a bit of a telling off you know, on Friday after you left…”

Harry snorted. “What did you do this time?”

“No, not like that, well, it was, erm, about what I said… about Zabini and Greengrass... “ Ron flushed slightly, he wasn’t good at these sorts of conversations. “Well ‘Mione reckons I was a bit out of order and that if you’re friends with them now then they must be OK because you’re a good person and you wouldn’t like them if they were… you know.”

“Poncy entitled Slytherin snobs?” Harry asked with a raised eyebrow. “I believe that’s what you called them anyway.”

“Yeah that…” Ron said quietly. “Well anyway, I thought about it and ‘Mione’s right, I reckon if they were really like that then I don’t see you wanting to be friends with them so I guess I agree with what you said… you know about people at school being products of their upbringings doing what they did to fit in but as adults they might have changed…” 

“Yes Ronald, just because you haven’t changed a bit doesn’t mean no one else has.” Hermione said as she came into view behind them. 

She had obviously told her husband to apologise and had been listening to the conversation, but Harry didn’t mind, he had expected it really.

She came to sit next to Harry on the bench seat he was on and he smiled at her to show he was grateful for her interjection. She put her hand on his leg and gave him a gentle encouraging squeeze but in a platonic way. 

“So was it just Hermione putting you straight that made you realise this then?” Harry asked Ron in a slightly amused tone.

“No…” Ron said slowly. “I thought about it myself too… but it was mainly George to be honest with you.”

“George? What did he do?” Harry asked interested to see if this was going where he thought it might.

“He told us earlier, while you were in the kitchen helping Molly, that he and Daphne have just agreed to be in an exclusive relationship.” Hermione explained.

“Oh great!” Harry said genuinely. 

“Did you know?” Ron asked casually. “I mean I figured… that day at the quidditch she was in your box with you so was that why he didn’t sit with us so he could sit with her?”

Harry fidgeted slightly not knowing which way this was going to go but he had to be honest really. “Yeah… I kind of set them up. I knew they’ve been going on dates but I actually didn’t know they were officially together now. It doesn’t surprise me though.”

“So that means you were there with Zabini right?” Ron accused. “You said you weren’t after the paper came out but if George was on a date with Daphne then surely you were with Zabini on like a double date thing right? And you lied about it because of what I said which makes sense, but look, I wanted to say I’m sorry and if you like Zabini then I’ll shut up and give him a chance.” Ron rushed out in one long breath not giving Harry the opportunity to interrupt. 

Harry laughed. “It’s great that you’re willing to give Blaise a chance, he’s genuinely a good guy but no, for the millionth time, we are just friends I mean it.”

Ron looked confused. “But he’s definitely checking you out in the picture and it makes sense with the way you’ve been recently…”

“He was checking me out because he checks everyone out Ron, it’s just what he’s like. He’s worse than Fred!” Harry laughed slightly. “But what do you mean ‘the way I’ve been recently’?” He asked, frowning.

Ron looked slightly awkward again and looked across to Hermione for help. She came to his rescue like always turning to face Harry slightly on the bench.

“Well you’ve been a bit up and down... like the Friday before last when you came round after you got your eyesight fixed, well you looked really good and you seemed happy, possibly a bit excited and we thought maybe your new look might have been to impress someone… but then when you didn’t come here last week we were worried something might have happened, then on Friday you seemed really happy again, the happiest we’ve seen you in ages actually but you seemed quite distant and you kept checking your watch…” Hermione trailed off and Ron picked up the thought.

“Then you seemed a bit defensive when I asked if you were still mates with Zabini and you left early… Today you still seem distracted but in a really good way, like you keep smiling to yourself it’s weird.” Ron said screwing up his nose slightly.

“Weird that I’m smiling?” Harry asked bemused.

“Well yeah… kind of.” Ron mumbled.

There was a part of Harry that wanted to tell his two oldest friends how happy he really was. How there was someone who kept making him smile every time he thought about them. That the person in question was waiting for him when he got home and that Harry thought he might just kiss him the moment he walked in the door because it was all he could think about. Harry had never had someone waiting for him at home who he could just walk in and kiss. True, he’d had Fred at the flat but that wasn’t the same. This was different in the best way possible. 

He knew he couldn’t tell them though. Firstly it was way too early to tell them anything who matter who it involved as they were so desperate for him to get settled with that they would get too excited and have them mentally married off in seconds. Secondly because he couldn’t even tell them he’d seen Draco let alone the fact that they’d been friends for weeks now, oh and that they lived together, had kissed, three times, and may or may not possibly be dating now or in the near future… As far Ron and Hermione knew, Draco was living in France and no one had seen him in seven years. 

With Lucius likely desperate for any information on how to get to Draco it was too risky to tell anyone who didn’t already know anything anyway. So yes, so many reasons not to tell them, some one which were outside of his control, yet he still felt guilty. So guilty for keeping something this big from then that he decided on a whim to give them something small and hopefully he wouldn’t regret it.

“Harry?” Hermione nudged him. “You’ve gone quiet again, I hope we didn’t say too much.”

“No it’s fine, I was just wondering if I should tell you or not…” He said with a cheeky smile.

“Well now you have to us.” Hermione pointed out as Ron leaned forward eagerly and said “tell us what?”

“That I kissed someone last night” Harry said smugly.

“What!” Ron practically shouted which made Harry immediately regret his decision.

Sure enough he attracted someone’s attention but fortunately it was only George.

“What’s going on here then?” George said, wandering over to them still carrying Rose in his arms. He’d been oddly attached to her today.

“Well I was about to find out who Harry kissed last night before you walked over. Now go away or he might not tell us!” Ron said indignantly as Hermione rolled her eyes.

“Oooh so Harry kissed someone last night then did he?” George said gleefully looking straight into Harry’s eyes. 

Great. Harry thought. George would know exactly who it would be and he’d definitely tell Fred and probably also Daphne who would most likely tell Blaise. Oh Merlin! What if Draco didn’t want anyone to know… What had he done?!

“So Harry…. Is he a good kisser?” George said, raising his eyebrows knowingly as he snuggled Rose.

Ron turned round to his brother who was standing just behind him. “George! That’s not the important question, I don’t want the details of blokes kissing!” He turned back to Harry. “I just want to know who it is.”

“Sorry but I’m not telling you that. I’ve already said too much.” Harry said stubbornly.

“Hardly!” Ron argued. “I mean, where did you meet? How long have you known him? How long have you liked him? And it’s definitely not Zabini?”

Harry sighed. “No Ron for the last time I am not going out with Blaise!... and I’m not answering any more questions.”

“Ron thinks you’re dating Blaise?” George was clearly enjoying this situation. “Oh this is priceless! I’ve got to go tell Fred!”

Harry stood up just as George was about to walk away. “I think it’s time I go back actually.”

George turned back around to look at him. “Why? Got someone special waiting at home for you?” He asked with a grin.

Suddenly Ron stood up too. “What? You’re not saying he stayed over at yours are you Harry? You never have anyone over…. Who is this guy? Is he really still there?”

“No Ron, I didn’t have him over for the night.” Harry said carefully not technically lying seeing as he already lived there. “George was just being an idiot as usual, weren’t you?” He rounded on George and gave him a bit of a glare. 

George shrugged happily and walked away towards Fred. Harry nervously watched, somehow still slightly worried about Fred’s reaction even though Fred had assured him it was fine. George whispered something in Fred’s ear. Fred looked up suddenly searching the garden for Harry. When their eyes locked Fred gave him the softest most genuinely happy smile and then winked at him and Harry knew he was fine.

*~*

Harry still couldn’t get the idea out of his head as he apparated back onto the doorstep of number 12. He opened the front door and immediately tried to locate Draco. The door to the lounge was partially open but as Harry moved towards it it opened fully and Draco was there in the doorway. 

Moving instantly he stepped forward cupped his hand behind Draco’s head entangling his fingers in his silky hairs and pulled Draco’s face down to meet his own. Draco responded beautifully melting forward to Harry’s touch and delicately holding Harry’s hips as they kissed.

It was only a short kiss but it was one simple way of confirming to Harry that this was right and he was sure Draco felt it too. Coming home to find Draco and just effortlessly kissing him just felt natural. Harry pulled back even though he didn’t want to.When he did he found that Draco was still looking down at him slightly, given that he was a little bit taller than Harry, and he was smiling. His hands were still resting, lighting on Harry’s hips.

“Miss me?” Draco asked, amused.

Harry shrugged. “No, not really.” 

“You are a terrible liar, Harry.” Draco smirked.

“Did you miss me?” He asked Draco jokingly, even though part of him was serious.

“Of course not, that would be absurd.” Draco said in his mock scornful voice but Harry could still see his soft smile trying to break through.

“Looks like we’re both liars then.” Harry said as he reluctantly withdrew his hands from behind Draco’s head already missing the feel of Draco’s hair between his fingers.

He stepped back from a smiling Draco to take his coat off and then flung it on the banister. Draco looked at it frowning. 

Harry looked at his expression. “What? I’ll put it away later or Kreacher will, probably more likely.”

Draco raised his eyebrow. “Potter, you’re lucky you inherited a house elf, without one I think you’d be a right slob and I must tell you that I find that most unattractive.”

Harry laughed but Draco didn’t give him any time to respond.

“Kreacher.” He called and the elf appeared. “Do you think perhaps you could sort out some sort of coat rack or hooks in the entrance hall please so that Master Harry has somewhere convenient to hang his coat?”

“Yes Master Draco, right away. Kreacher be thinking that is a good idea sir.” Kreacher bowed to Draco and threw a bit of a dirty look to Harry. 

Then he disappeared and came back moments later with a dusty but elegant black coat stand. He cleaned it with a flick and then set it on the ground by the front door. Then he waved at Harry’s coat and it hovered over and hung itself on one of the hooks.

Harry turned to Draco who had just thanked Kreacher before he disappeared and was now looking very satisfied. 

“Nice to see you’ve made yourself at home now and that my house elf respects you more than me!” Harry tutted. 

“Yes, we bonded over our mutual dislike of your lack of routine and habit of making a mess.” Draco replied.

“Well isn’t that lovely!” Harry said, sulking.

Draco laughed. “Come on, I’ve been waiting for you to make me a latte.” He said prodding Harry in the direction of the kitchen.

Harry pretended to be annoyed but really he liked the idea of Draco wanting him for something. After he’d made his little prince (a name he had for Draco in his head but certainly wasn’t going to call him that outloud) his favourite drink Draco returned into the lounge where he settled back on the sofa and Harry followed to sit next to him.

“So did you have a good time?” Draco asked him in a friendly manner.

“Yeah it was good actually, I’m glad I went.” Harry said happily. “The whole gang was there even Ginny and Oliver, seems like that’s getting serious pretty quickly.”

“Good for them.” Draco said casually.

“Speaking of things getting serious, George has started telling his family about Daphne apparently it’s official now did you know?” Harry asked as he sipped on his hazelnut latte. He didn’t indulge in one often but this was nice.

“No I didn’t actually, I might have to act surprised now when she tells me.” Draco replied as he enjoyed his vanilla latte that Harry had made for him just to try something different.

“Oh sorry.” Harry chuckled. “If you want something to make her laugh you can tell here that I got yet another round of questioning from Ron and Hermione today, they are still convinced I’m dating Blaise.”

“Really?” Draco scoffed. “You and Blaise would make a terrible couple and clearly they don’t realise that Blaise does not ‘date’. Although I’m sure under normal circumstances he would have persuaded you into bed by now.”

“Under normal circumstances?” Harry asked with a raised eyebrow.

Draco shifted slightly uncomfortably like he’d let something slip that he hated meant to. “I may have something to do with him not propositioning you I suppose.”

“So…” Harry started slowly. “You said that you, erm, like me? Does, erm, does Blaise know anything about, er, about that?” 

Draco chuckled softly to himself. “Yes Harry I think we’ve established that I ‘like’ you.” He hesitated slightly before continuing. “Blaise and Daphne are very astute as I’m sure you realise, so they may have been aware that I had a certain interest in you.”

“So what you’re saying is Blaise would have shagged me by now, or tried to anyway, if his best mate didn’t fancy the pants off me?” Harry said with a cheeky grin.

“Merlin Harry must you be so crude and arrogant about it?” Draco said rolling his eyes and neither confirming nor denying how much he really did fancy Harry.

Harry smiled but didn’t say anything for a moment, then after the pause he spoke in a slightly different one.

“On a more serious note, erm, how would feel if Blaise and Daphne were to find out that we, er, that we kissed?” He said flushly slightly. 

Draco eyed him slightly warily. “Why?” He said suspiciously.

Harry sighed. “Well Ron and Hermione are so desperate for me to settle down, they have been for ages. We kind of fell out about it actually years ago when I got angry at them for interfering too much in my love life… so they left me alone about it for years but recently I, erm, well I may have told them about a month ago that I was interested in dating again so they’ve been excited ever since and that’s why they’ve been grilling me about Blaise. I set them straight about that but they seemed actually somewhat disappointed that we weren’t together, which given how Ron has been talking about Blaise did come as a bit of a surprise… Anyway, I felt bad about, erm, keeping things from them and I just wanted to give them something, so I, er, I told them that I kissed someone but I didn’t say who don’t worry!” Harry rushed out quickly.

He squirmed slightly avoiding Draco’s eye. “The thing is that George kind of overheard and then joined in the conversation and erm, well, he’ll know I was talking about you, so then he told Fred and he might tell Daphne…”

“Who will most certainly tell Blaise.” Draco finished for him.

“Yeah…” Harry said slowly. “Are you mad at me?”

Draco didn’t really give anything away in his expression and Harry thought it was because he honestly didn’t really know how he felt about the situation.

He sighed and then spoke painly keeping his voice emotionless at first. “I would be lying if I said I felt completely comfortable with people knowing, not because I’m ashamed of it or anything, far from it actually there is part of me that wants to yell from the rooftops that I kissed Harry Potter-” Then he paused to smile slightly at Harry.

Harry shook his head and snorted looking down at the sofa but then raised his head to look more seriously at Draco silently urging him to speak his mind openly, which he did.

“-but just because I’m a private person who doesn’t really feel comfortable with anyone knowing personal details of my life. It’s not really anyone’s business who I do and do not kiss quite frankly.” Draco continued. “I used to be like that with everyone but Blaise and Daphne… they are different. It took me years to open up to them but now… well they can usually read me pretty well and I actually find it annoyingly hard to lie to them.”

Draco smiled softly again as he looked at Harry. “Blaise in particular has been… nudging me shall we say, to a make a move so no doubt they will ask me if I have yet even if they don’t hear about it from George first so I doubt it makes much difference.”

Harry smiled broadly back at Draco feeling relieved. “OK then good. I was worried that I’d messed this up already!”

There was another low quiet laugh from Draco but then he turned slightly more serious as he reached over to gently hold Harry’s hand as they’d done quite a few times now.

“Harry,” he said. “I’m sure there will be plenty of time where he probably both mess up but we’ve been pretty damn honest with each other so far which is a new thing for me but… well it seems to be paying off, so let’s just continue to be honest and confront things as they happen. I’m glad you told me about George overhearing for example as now I can be prepared for Daphne’s barrage of questions when I next see her.” He said smiling.

Harry was nodding. “Yes.” He agreed. “Honesty is good.” He said as he shifted his hand so that he could interlock his fingers with Draco’s. He looked down at their hands thinking how good it felt and how good they looked together. 

In the interest of the honesty they’re agreed upon, a whole list of questions were whirling through his head that he was desperate to know the answers to… What exactly is this? How much does Draco like him? Would he want an exclusive proper relationship? Would he want to get married and have a family one day? Did Draco have a gorgeously handsome perfect French ex-boyfriend who he was madly in love with somewhere that Harry should be worried about… He supposed it would all come out in time though and the last thing he wanted to do was to come across too strong to be desperate and needy. 

“Harry…?” Draco asked over Harry’s thoughts. 

“Hmm?” He said in way of response.

“How would George know you were talking about me?”Draco asked clearly amused.

Harry flushed slightly. “Erm, well, they may have guessed that I, erm, was interested in you I guess… I don’t think I was particularly subtle and it’s like what you said about Blaise and Daphne, they can always read me… and they obviously know that we live together and that I never go out anymore so… well there’s no one else it could be really.” He confessed.

Draco seemed very happy all of a sudden. “So you’ve liked me for a while then?” He asked arrogantly.

“Just shut up and let’s get back to the book shall we?” Harry mumbled.

Draco smiled in a very satisfied way. “Certainly, let me just get comfortable.” 

He sat back on the arm of the sofa and swung his legs up to rest them over Harry’s lap then relaxed into the position with an exaggerated content sigh.

Harry laughed. “Better?”

“Hmm much.” Was Draco’s response. 

Harry rested his hands gently over Draco’s slim legs enjoying the weight on them on his thighs. “Hit me with it then.” He said as Draco summoned the notes into his lap.

“Third year was an interesting year wasn’t it?” He said casually.

“Weren’t they all?” Harry replied dryly.

Draco smiled slightly before responding simply. “Third year was the year I realised I was gay.”

Harry looked up at him in surprise. “You knew at school?”

Draco nodded. “Yeah, I think maybe I always knew but I just never really thought about it. Anyway, third year I saw two guys kissing in the common room and I just knew then that I was much more interested in kissing another guy than a girl.”

“Wow... I had no idea.” Harry said honestly.

“Well you were pretty clueless at school and I didn’t exactly advertise it.” Draco shrugged. 

“I wasn’t that bad.” Harry muttered. Draco smiled at him again and Harry spoke up a bit more seriously after a second to process this information. “That must have been hard for you though, to deal with that with Lucius and everything else.” 

“Not really, not at first anyway. It wasn’t like this big dramatic realisation for me, I didn’t struggle with the idea at the beginning… I went thought a bit of a rough patch four year where I wished I wasn’t gay but then after realising that willing myself straight was never going to happen I accepted it again. I just thought I’d marry a pureblood witch, produce an heir and maybe have a male lover on the side. I already knew that I was likely facing a loveless arranged marriage anyway so it didn’t much matter.” Draco said casually, this didn’t really pain him to say. 

“I never actually told Lucius I was gay but I don’t think he would really care what I did in private as long as I did what was expected of me in public. Of course it was after the war that I decided I wasn’t going to do that anymore but I’m pretty sure I would have made that decision either way. Even if I did want to marry a woman I don’t think I could stand to be in another stuffy, uncaring household, it’s not a nice atmosphere.” He finished slightly sadly. 

“No, I can imagine.” Harry said quietly. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be.” Draco said flatly. “I know it seems like a bit of a nightmare to have to hide from my own father but honestly it could be worse. I’m fortunate that Daphne and Blaise helped me out of the situation and life isn’t so bad now. I’d much rather be where I am now than being forced into a loveless marriage with a woman I could never enjoy being with, it wouldn’t be fair on either of us.”

There was a moment of quiet as Harry processed Draco’s words and then he spoke himself. “Well in that case I’m glad that you’re as happy as you can be now given the circumstances.”

Draco smiled at him flirtatiously. “Certain circumstances may have worked in my favour.”

Harry chuckled. “Yes it’s such a shame for me that a devishly handsome single gay man was forced to move into my home for his own safety.”

“Hmm devilishly handsome… he sounds like a catch, you should hang onto him.” Draco teased.

“Yes, I think I should.” Harry said quietly with a small smile.

There was a pause for a moment as the two men looked at each other and then Draco cleared his throat. “So what about you?” He asked seriously.

“What about me?” Harry replied genuinely a bit confused.

Draco rolled his eyes. “Well I’ve told you, so come on spill, when did you find out that you weren’t as straight as I thought you were until recently?”

“Oh.” Harry said, feeling stupid for not understanding but happy to talk about it. “I didn’t realise I was gay properly until I was nearly 19 and it took me even longer than that to come out to everyone.” 

“So you are gay then?” Draco asked. “I thought you might be bisexual.”

Harry frowned. “Did Daphne not tell you?”

Draco huffed. “I knew she knew, damn her. I asked but she refused to tell me, said I had to find out by myself.” He said sulking.

Harry laughed. “Sorry, I didn’t realise you didn’t know. I assumed she told you which is why you told me that you were… but you could have just asked.”

“It’s not the sort of thing one usually asks.” Draco replied.

“Well from now on, if you want to know something just ask me.” Harry said seriously.

Draco looked at him gratefully and nodded. “So the full sexual orientation discovery story?” He asked with a smile.

Harry smiled back at him and then launched into it. “Well at school we got to that age, probably fourth year I guess, where everyone else seemed to be thinking of dates or sex or what not and I just never thought about that stuff but all the Gryffindor guys definitely seemed into girls and it was all they talked about suddenly. At the time I didn’t know anyone who wasn’t straight, or so I thought, the rumours about Fred hadn’t reached me then… Anyway, I just thought that I should find girls attractive I guess and I never thought about a guy like that. I remember thinking that Cho was pretty and I actually asked her to the Yule Ball but only because there was so much pressure on me to ask someone and she was the only person I’d ever really noticed. Then she started showing an interest in me in fifth year but when we kissed it was such a disaster that it put me off kissing in general for a long time… the whole thing with Cho was just such a mess really I was so clueless about dating!”

At this point Draco chuckled slightly in amusement. Harry ignored him and carried on.

“Ginny showed a bit of an interest in me too in sixth year and I do remember thinking that she was pretty and maybe I should ask her out but again it was more just because I thought I should rather than I actually wanted to if that makes sense? Plus I was kind of terrified of dating again and I had girls trying to slip me love potions… I just wasn’t really that interested in being with anyone quite honestly… Then I got a bit distracted, you know with the evil wizard who was trying to kill me and take over the world so that put dating on the back burner for a bit!” Harry ran his hand through his hair and laughed nervously.

Draco snorted. “Yes that was rather distracting.”

“Then Fred came out as bisexual like straight after the battle, he said he nearly dies not telling anyone other than George… It got me thinking, I suppose, about what I liked and what I wanted but I was still just really focused on the aurors. Then I started going out, drinking a lot in the muggle world and I was getting a lot of attention from both guys and girls. At first I just drank and turned everyone down as I was too scared to do anything really I suppose but I was more interested in the guys. I talked to Fred and he encouraged me to have fun, experiment, find out what I liked so I did... He told me what to expect about gay sex too, it was enlightening I suppose. After a couple of months I figured out I was definitely gay and I came out to the twins first, that’s why we’re close I guess. They’re always been so supportive and non-judgemental.” Harry said fondly, glossing over the fact that he’d had some practical ‘lessons’ with Fred too, although admittedly that had been years later.

“Yeah they do seem like good friends.” Draco chimed in. “Then you told the rest of the Weasleys?”

Harry nodded slowly. “Yeah I did but it took me a while not really sure why though. Everyone was totally fine about it of course and I’ve never experienced any negativity about being gay. The press have speculated and even asked me outright but always in an inquisitive way not in a derogatory way. I always tell them that anything about my private life is none of their business anyway. I’ve always been very careful to never deny it and I’ve always made a big deal about supporting gay rights. Me, Fred and George went to London Pride a few times and George took loads of photos and sent them into the Prophet, it was great! I always encouraged the rumours because I’d like to think that if I ever settled down with a guy then it wouldn’t be a big shock to the wizarding community or anything but I just haven’t really confirmed it either as I know they’d run a stupid ‘Harry Potter comes out’ article which I’d hate.”

“That makes a lot of sense for someone in your position and I can understand your reasoning.” Draco said when Harry was finished.

“Anyway,” Harry said after a pause. “As interesting as that was, we’re never going to make progress with this damn book if we keep getting distracted.” He pointed out.

“Right.” Draco said smiling. “Well here are my questions and my notes…” He started.

*~*

Draco’s notes were as comprehensive as Harry had expected them to be. He really did have a better way with words that Harry did and had lots of helpful suggestions on how to phrase things better and how to structure the paragraphs to make them read well. Harry found himself agreeing with the changes and feeling fortunate that he had Draco’s help.

Draco’s third year questions mainly focused on the Marauders. Harry had explained in the book about Remus, Sirius, Peter and his father all being friends at school and what had happened. He talked about Sirius and Remus and how they had both been unfairly treated and misunderstood in different ways. About how Sirius had been innocent all along but how Peter had escaped so Sirius couldn’t get the freedom he deserved in his lifetime. He got a little emotional talking about them and it was nice to know that Draco could provide him some physical comfort more easily without them overthinking it.

They had ended up snuggling on the sofa as Harry talked Draco through the events of third year that weren’t included in the book. Things like the Marauders map, which Draco was in awe of and annoyed by in equal measures. “So let me get this straight, you had an invisibility cloak and a magic map? No wonder you were so good at sneaking around, you know that really is most unfair!” Draco moaned. 

There was also the issue of the time turner which Harry hadn’t included in the book either. He didn’t really give away the details of how Sirius and Buckbeak escaped or who was responsible, just that they did. Draco had been a bit annoyed at that too. “I can’t believe they gave Granger a time turner, you three were always getting special treatments, it’s ridiculous. Lucius was so cross at me for never being the top in our year and he was livid when he found out she was doing more subjects than me. I didn’t understand how it was possible because my timetable was full.”

Buckbeak had been an interesting discussion too. Draco admitted he’d acted like a prat but he said that he was under strict orders from Lucius to try and get Hagrid fired in any way possible that year as Lucius had been livid when he tried to overthrow the teaching position at the governors meeting only to have been ignored. It made a lot more sense to Harry and he found that when he really looked back closely at all the memories he had of Draco from that time he could see that Lucius had been in control of everything and that Draco was only ever doing what he’d done to survive as he’d had to his whole life.

Draco had written a little section about this that he wanted to include in this part of the book in which he formally apologised to Hagrid and explained the cause of his actions and how he regretted them. Draco had never known what happened to Buckbeak and was happy when Harry had told him the full story. They laughed when they realised how furious Lucius would be about the whole thing. As Draco was still insisting on being named throughout, Harry was of course happy to include his section.

Harry had also struggled a little when it came to talking about the dementors as he had written in the book what he had heard every time they came close. Draco was full of apologies once again for his behaviour as he was saddened by the truth of why Harry was so badly affected by them. At least they could now laugh though about the memory of Harry shooting his stag patronus at Malfoy dressed as a dementor. 

As it got closer to Draco’s routine bedtime Harry realised they’d spent too long reminiscing and so they decided to leave the fourth year pages until tomorrow. Once again, he was actually feeling really tired but as always he wasn’t that keen on actually going to bed. 

“I have something for you.” Draco said to Harry after he insisted it was time for bed. “Something will hopefully help. Come on, it’s in my room.” He said as he dragged Harry off the sofa and pushed him towards the stairs.

Harry hovered just outside as Draco walked into his bedroom with the door left open behind him. He realised he hadn’t seen inside the room since Draco moved it but it didn’t look any different really as Draco was clearly very neat and seemed to have very few personal possessions. Most of them were to do with his work and were now on display in his new office here. His real name now sat proudly on his potions certificates on the wall there and his trophies on the bookcase. 

He did notice one thing though and that was a sketchbook and some pencils on Draco’s little writing desk. Did Draco draw? The book was closed so he couldn’t see but he really badly wanted to. Then he remembered the beautifully drawn plans for the shop that were framed in Draco’s Diagon Alley office. He had previously assumed they’d been professionally drawn up but what if Draco himself had drawn them?

His thoughts were interrupted as Draco stood before him having fetched a basket of products from his bedside table.

“I made these for you yesterday but one in particular is quite experimental so I wanted to test it myself last night before I gave it to you. It’s definitely safe but seeing as I don’t have the same issues you do I can’t say for definite that it will work, but I’m confident it will.” He explained pointing to one particular product.

“What is it?” Harry asked as he admired the basket and all the items within. Everything Draco did seemed to have an effortless beauty and precision.

“It’s a lavender pillow spray, the muggles use them in what they call aromatherapy but this one is adapted. I studied some of it in France as my tutor was quite interested in how muggle aromatherapy and chemistry can combine with our knowledge of potions and alchemy. It’s fascinating really, how plants have all these amazing properties to them like lavender. Even muggles have made use of them but with the effects of magic too what we can create is even better.” Draco explained passionately.

“So I just spray it on my pillow to help me sleep?” Harry asked.

Draco nodded. “Effectively yes, it has a lot of the properties and ingredients of dreamless sleep but I have removed those which have slightly addictive effects and it’s watered down. You breathe it in overnight rather than ingesting it which helps it be safer and non-addictive too. It won’t be as effective as dreamless sleep of course, it won’t knock you out but it should just help relax you and numb the part of your brain that is responsible for nightmares slightly... I assume that’s why you started taking it in the first place?” he asked delicately.

Harry nodded but didn’t say anything.

“I used to get them too, pretty badly.” Draco admitted. “But for me the occlumency and meditation techniques work. They help me compartmentalise and process my thoughts, feelings and memories to keep the nightmares at bay. The only side effect for me is that for a long time I didn’t really feel anything but now, finding people that I can relax around and be myself with is helping to change that.”

“Good.” Harry said softly as he looked into Draco’s eyes.

Draco smiled back at him softly and then he directed his attention to the other products pointing a few more things out to Harry. 

“That is a chamomile spray. It works the same way as the lavender one but it’s based on my calming draught which isn’t as additive as Dreamless sleep in the first place anyway so there’s no real side effects but I thought you might benefit from a spray instead of a potion. You can use it alongside the lavender one if you want to if you’re feeling anxious, the fragrances and the effects will compliment each other or can just just use one.” Draco continued to explain. 

“You can just use them as room sprays, or spray them on any linen really including clothes. There are also magical lavender bath salts in there too. I would personally recommend you start taking a bath before bed, use the salts in there and they will help you to relax and feel sleepy. You can also use the bath time for meditation, I do sometimes and I’ve written down some tips on how to clear your mind on that scroll too.” He finished and looked at Harry slightly nervously.

“Draco, this is all…” Harry started. “It’s all really thoughtful, thank you. I will definitely try all of it. I promise. I know I need help with my sleeping, I know it’s not healthy, so… thanks… for caring.”

“I do care Harry...” Draco said softly. Then he took a small step closer to Harry and lightly touched his hand with his own and added quietly. “...more than you know.”

Harry felt his breath hitch and his stomach did a weird little flip. “You heard that?” He asked quietly.

Draco simply smiled and did a tiny nod. He closed the gap between them and kissed Harry ever so lightly. Harry felt those soft lips he was starting to become familiar with press into his own for the briefest of moments before they were gone and the basket was pressed into his hand to take.

Harry watched as Draco stepped back into his room and started to close the door behind him, just calling out before he disappeared from view.

“Goodnight Harry, sleep well.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So little side note for you, I actually have my own home business where I make pillow sprays, bath salts, soap, shampoo etc and I write in my office/craft room where I'm surround by essential oils!   
> I pride myself on doing hamper gift boxes with bespoke and personalise products in so that was my little inspiration for Draco's business, I wanted it to be more than just standard potions!  
> I'm having so much fun writing this and I'm definitely getting carried away but I hope you like it as much as I do! xD


	24. Draco: Monday 17th October-Wednesday 19th October

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Harry and Draco start settling into their new routine, we find out if Harry's sleep is any better and they make progress with the book.  
> However, all of Harry's grief that he's been repressing comes to the surface just at the wrong time and he doesn't deal with it particularly well.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This isn't a great chapter for Harry :( sorry!
> 
> It's not massively heavy or angsty as that's not the type of writer that I am but if you're worried about any triggers then please check the tags.  
> There is a slight loss of control issue in this chapter but I don't want to say too much without spoiling it, just be aware of that if that's an issue for you. I will say that it is not sexual in nature though.  
> There is quite a lot of swearing in this chapter but it is rated M so figured that would be fine and things also heat up a little ;)

Draco didn’t really need to get up at seven thirty now that he was working from home but he was a creature of habit so he did anyway. This morning he actually heard Harry get up and make his way down to the kitchen from the top floor where both their bedrooms were. He hoped that was a good sign, that Harry had seemingly stayed in his room all night and was only just now getting up. 

Draco had a quick invigorating shower, got dressed in his brewing dungarees and T-shirt before heading down the kitchen. He ever usually allowed himself to be seen in a short sleeved shirt but his left forearm was always covered by his wand holster anyway and Harry had annoyingly already seen him in this outfit so he didn’t have much of an excuse not to wear it, especially when it genuinely was the most comfortable to brew in with the heat of the cauldrons. 

When he got in the kitchen Harry had just finished brewing the coffee. He turned to Draco and wordlessly passed him a mug of it and gave him a broad smile as he did so. Draco took the mug from Harry and studied his face carefully, he was relieved to see him looking better rested.

“Did you sleep better?” He asked.

“Yes I did actually.” Harry answered. “It wasn’t perfect I admit. I still woke up a couple of times but I definitely had some hours of uninterrupted sleep that was deeper than in the last week and I feel less tired today, thanks.”

“That’s good, you do look better.” Draco said smiling. “How did you find the products?”

“The bath was heavenly, I never really saw the appeal but I understand now why you like them.” Harry said smiling “I… appreciated the meditation tips but I still think it’s something I’m not naturally gifted at, I’ll keep trying though. The sprays definitely helped. The chamomile one does help me feel more relaxed and the lavender one makes me sleepy like part of my brain is shutting off, in a good way. When I woke I felt pretty normal again and resprayed them to help me get back off.”

Draco nodded. “Yes, they’re only weak really. They’re designed to help you get to sleep but I was hoping that once you were asleep deep enough then you would stay asleep.” He hesitated. “I can make them stronger-”

“No, don’t.” Harry said quickly. “I would rather get to a place where I can sleep without anything so these are perfect for now, just to help a bit. I don’t need much sleep anyway, I can survive on those hours now I’m not working. I do really appreciate the effort you put into making them for me, thank you.”

Draco felt really happy that he’d done something to help Harry and proud that it had been something he’s thought of and adapted especially. This is what he was good at, this is why he liked his work, seeing the smile on Harry’s face had definitely been worth the effort and the man deserved to sleep at night after everything he’d been through.

After breakfast he happily went down to his potions lab to get a start on this week’s orders. It hadn’t been that long since Draco had set up his new routine with Daphne yet now he was finding himself adapting to a new one with his first full week of it ahead of him. However, for some reason he was as concerned by change as he had once been and he had the feeling that this new routine he had set up would finally last. 

This is what he had wanted all along, to set up the shop with people who he trusted to run it day to day and managed the elements of the business he didn’t care for, whilst he met with customers for bespoke commissions and did the rest of his work in a safe home away from Diagon Alley. He just never expected it to happen this quickly. He also never expected his home to be with Harry yet he did very much feel at home here now and it had only been less than a week. He found himself looking to his future now more than ever, finally believing that he could actually be happy… if Lucius didn’t ruin things for him that was.

The floo call network between Harry’s and the shop was helpful too, it meant he could communicate with Daphne and Graham easily to check on things in the shop and make sure his jobs were divided easily between him and Graham whilst Daphne continued to run the shop floor. Graham had moved into the flat now and was finding the accommodation more than adequate. Draco hadn’t actually seen it but he trusted that it looked good and the bill had been reasonable. He was still determined to put the money back into the Black vaults in time just for the sake of pride but it wasn’t as if Harry needed it. 

So Monday was just a normal brewing day. Except this time he had Harry bringing him lunch which was a very welcome addition to his routine. After the working day they cooked dinner for the first time together, well Harry cooked and Draco did what he was told but still it was nice to contribute.  
Tuesday Draco went into the shop again as Pierre and after work Harry had his chamomile tea waiting for him again. Then Kreacher cooked for the both of them as they celebrated the one week anniversary of Draco moving in.

After dinner each day they sat in the lounge and watched the teller vision box on the wall. Draco’s new favourite thing was just to watch the muggle news, he found it fascinating to hear the day to day things going on in a world literally right around him in London but he knew nothing about. It made him realise how sheltered he’d been really. Even if some things they covered in the news were quite sad.

Then they talked. The two of them still had so much to talk about and Draco was finding something new out about Harry in every conversation. It was so refreshing to sit and talk, even cuddle and talk, which is something Draco never thought he’d say. He had never cuddled with anyone in his life and was worried he’d find the whole notion appalling if he ever did find himself in a relationship. Yet here he was cuddling Harry like it was a perfectly normal thing to do even though they weren’t officially in a relationship… and he liked it.

Draco didn’t know the rules of this...thing… they had and he didn’t like not knowing the rules. He lived his life with structure and this was all completely new to him and it definitely scared him. Part of him wanted to sit Harry down and have a proper conversation about what this was officially and what the rules were but he thought that would probably seem desperate and weird. 

So he tried to break his rule about not needing rules. Everything with Harry seemed to break his rules anyway. He didn’t like to be touched, especially his hair, yet he liked it when Harry did it. He didn’t really like to talk about himself, yet he liked it when Harry listened. He liked a strict routine and Harry had none yet they were finding a sort of compromise together and it was fine.

Things with Harry were… interesting, in a good way. They’d shared a few kisses now but none had been like the first and none had led to anything else. There had been some above clothes touching, waist, hips shoulders, legs but nothing too intimate. Draco wondered what the next thing would be. He wanted so badly to feel Harry’s skin, to rip his clothes off and see him properly for the first time. 

Two years without sex hadn’t really bothered him, he’d been satisfied with the occasional wank but now he’d been wanking to thoughts of Harry so often for the last month that is was starting to do nothing for him, he wanted more. Half of him wanted to pin Harry to a wall whenever he saw him and shag him senseless, or bend him over the nearest surface and just take him. That was how he’d always been with his lovers in the past, always consensual of course but always rough and quick. That was the only way Draco knew how, just sex. He didn’t want to be like that with Harry but he didn’t know how to progress a real relationship so he figured he would enjoy what he could do for now and just see where it leads.

Despite the fact they said they’d do it on Monday, they didn’t get round to discussing the fourth year stuff that evening. Harry had gone for a run, he said he hadn’t really been in a good head space after starting to write his fifth year memories and Draco sensed that this would be where it would start to get hard for Harry. He was a little worried about how digging up all these repressed memories would affect Harry but all he could do was to be there for him as they had been there for each other over the past couple of weeks. 

Tuesday evening after the news was finished Harry was still a little more quiet than usual.

“Are you still finding fifth year hard to write about?” Draco asked him quietly.

Harry nodded slowly. “I tried to write about… about the Ministry battle today but…” 

His words trailed off and he sighed. Draco scooted closer to him on the sofa. They turned slightly to face each other and Harry fell into Draco’s welcoming arms. He rubbed little soothing circles on Harry’s back as he held him.

“Writing about- about Cedric was hard enough but I’m not sure if I can- If I can write about Sirius…” He spoke the words over Draco’s shoulder and his voice cracked slightly.

“You can do it Harry, I know you can, but you don’t have to do it alone.” Draco said soothingly. “With Graham’s help my workload is much more manageable now. I’ll have some time tomorrow, let me help. You can just talk and I’ll write it up in a coherent way. Does that sound good?” 

Draco could feel Harry’s head nodding against his shoulder. “Thank you.” Were the only words he whispered into Draco’s neck.

The feel of Harry’s breath of his neck made Draco shudder and his breath hitch. Harry noticed. Draco could feel Harry’s body stiffen slightly and the air was suddenly thick with tension as he realised how close their bodies were. He wasn’t sure if they’d quite been this pressed up together before, even on that first magical kiss.

There was a moment of hesitation and then all of a sudden Harry’s lips were on Draco’s neck. They were soft little kisses all over yet Harry’s stubble beard was rough against Draco’s smooth skin, it was another delicious contrast that Draco found thrilling.

Harry trailed his kisses up Draco’s neck and then over his sharp chiseled jaw slowly finding his way to Draco’s mouth. When their lips finally met it was with more passion and intensity than they had before. It was rough and slightly messy but in the best possible way. Their desperate need for each other was obvious and they both seemed to want more. 

The dominance that Harry was showing was a real turn on for Draco, again not something he usually liked as normally he wanted to be in control but with Harry everything that he hadn’t liked before was just thrown out of the window. This was new and exciting, Draco just wanted to see where it would go so he allowed himself to be pushed back against the sofa by Harry.

Suddenly the man was on top of him, they never stopped kissing but their bodies just moved around each other until Draco was lying on the sofa underneath Harry feeling the warm solid weight of his chest. Even through the layers of clothing it was incredible to feel Harry’s toned torso flush against his own. Harry’s arms were up behind Draco’s back clinging onto his shoulders like he never wanted to let him go. Harry’s strong fingers gripping into Draco’s soft flesh was almost painful but Draco loved it, it made him feel alive.

Draco had his hands on Harry’s hips and held on just as tightly gently guiding him, but Harry didn’t need any encouragement. The next thing Draco knew Harry was pressing down urgently into him and then he finally felt everything. This was just… everything.

Harry lined himself up so that his long hard length was flush alongside Draco’s and he was grinding against him perfectly. The man was definitely hung, there was no doubt about that and for someone who found dancing difficult he certainly knew how to move his hips.

The desperation was getting real now and the kissing was abandoned as Harry’s breathing grew louder in Draco’s ear. Every now and then Harry would scrap his teeth alongside Draco’s neck and Draco could still feel his rough stubble. Draco was incredibly sensitive and feeling Harry all over him like his was setting his world alight even with their clothes on. He couldn’t imagine what it would be like without them but that thought alone was enough to send him over the edge.

He just about managed to bite back Harry’s name as he came but he thought Harry might have had the same instinct as he bit into Draco’s shoulder lightly during his own release just moments after.

The two men lay there panting for a moment, fighting to get this breath back as their chests heaved against each other. After a short while Harry drew back up slightly and slipped himself off of Draco. Harry sat up on the end of the sofa by Draco’s feet and put his head in his hands.

“Fuck Draco.” He mumbled.

With the weight of Harry’s body gone, Draco suddenly felt cold and empty and he wanted to draw Harry back. There was something about the way Harry distanced himself from Draco that he didn’t like. Ignoring the wet patch in his pajama trousers he sat up quickly and scooted over to Harry. 

He gently pulled Harry’s hands away from his face and turned the man’s head so they were looking at each other. He wanted to know what Harry was feeling, should he hurt by this immediate withdrawal from Harry? What he saw in Harry’s face though wasn’t rejection or regret, it was… embarrassment.

“Fuck.” Harry repeated. “I’m so sorry I don’t know what came over me, I’ve never done that before…” He trailed off awkwardly.

Harry’s face was beautifully flushed and his hair was indescribably messy. Draco couldn’t help but laugh.

“Oh great now for laughing at me for coming in my pants like a teenager at the grand old age of 25, thanks.” Harry mumbled.

Draco laughed again and gently pulled Harry’s face back towards him as Harry turned away again. Draco leaned over to give Harry a quick kiss on the lips. He pulled back slightly but kept his face close and he cupped the side of Harry’s cheek enjoying the feel of his facial hair against his hand.

“Harry, I’m not laughing at you because of that, in case you didn’t notice I did too so you’re not the only one.” Draco said happily. “I’m laughing because of how embarrassed you are about it. Are you going to be like this every time?”

Harry still looked embarrassed but he queried his eyebrow up at that. “Every time?”

Draco leaned in and whispered seductively into Harry’s ear. “Every time I make you come.”

Harry swallowed thickly but didn’t say anything. Draco laughed again feeling very much on top of the world. He withdrew his face but stayed close next to Harry on the sofa not allowing them to lose contact completely.

“What did you mean when you said you’ve never done that before? And why on earth did you apologise for it?” He asked, amused.

Harry flushed again. “I, er, I’ve never… lost control like that and come in my pants like an inexperienced imbecile. I usually last longer than that and I only meant to kiss you anyway but…”

Draco smiled at the man. “Harry, do you hear me complaining?” He asked flirtatiously. “Relax will you? It was incredible, better than some of the full on sex I’ve had to be quite frank, so I think I’d quite like to see you loose control more.”

Harry smiled a bit more at that. “Yeah?” He asked coyly.

“Definitely.” Draco said as he leaned into Harry for another kiss, this time lingering slightly seductively. 

He broke away and noticed that Harry seemed more comfortable now and the happiest he’d seen him in a couple of days.

“I think you needed that release.” Draco said smiling.

This time it was Harry’s turn to laugh. “Yes I think I did.” He said smiling at Draco. “Thank you… you’re right, it was really good.”

“Anytime.” Draco said seriously. “I think that’s quite a good method of relieving stress and I’m more than happy to help.”

“I bet you are.” Harry said, rolling his eyes. “Anyway, I guess a shower is in order now.”

“No, don't go.” Draco whined. “Just spell it clean for now and have a bath before bed. I want you to stay.”

“I’ve always been crap at cleaning spells.” Harry admitted.

Draco snorted. “Why doesn’t that surprise me? You can wordlessly, wandlessly cut your best friend down from a lamppost in the blink of an eye in the middle of a duel with a Death Eater but you can’t do a simple cleaning spell? Here, let me, I’m excellent at them.” He boasted as he drew his wand from it’s holster and waved it over them both.

Harry looked down at the now dry crotch of his pajama bottoms in surprise. “Hmm, wow, you really are good.” 

“I am a man of many talents.” He said with a smirk.

Harry laughed again. “Yes, I’m beginning to see that.” He looked over at Draco with hunger still in his eyes and suddenly Draco wanted so much more. 

Suddenly the fact that it had been the first time Draco had orgasmed by anything other than his own hand for the first time in over two years wasn’t enough any more. He wanted to fuck Harry right here right now on this very sofa… He could… but he didn’t know if he should… Would Harry want that? Draco could feel himself going hard again at the thought and was tempted to look down to see if Harry was.

But then Harry took a deep breath and closed his eyes for a second. When he opened them they were back to normal, the intensity behind them was gone and Draco knew the moment was over… for now. He would no doubt have another wank at the image later but for now it wasn’t what Harry wanted, what he needed.

“So now that I don’t need a shower and my… tension has been… relieved,” Harry started. “Did you want to go over the fourth year chapters like we were supposed to do yesterday?”

Draco thought that they were several things he would rather do, but if this is what Harry wanted then that was what he would do.

“Sure.” He replied simply.

Harry, clearly too lazy or too comfortable to move even slightly, effortlessly summoned the notes that had been left on the coffee table since the other day. Draco snuggled happily into his side and Harry put his arm around Draco as they looked at the notes together.

*~*

Draco had enjoyed the chapters Harry had written on fourth year, if he could distance himself from the fact that everything in the pages had actually happened, it made for an entertaining story but even amongst the fun of the Triwizard Tournament, he knew that Harry had suffered that year just like he had every other.

“So you really didn’t find a way to put your name in the Goblet of Fire?” Draco asked.

Harry laughed. “No I didn’t, you think I was that clever?”

“No actually, that’s why I never believed it.” Draco said casually. It earned him a playful punch on the shoulder from Harry.

“Seriously, even though it pissed me off that you were once again the exception to the rule and the centre of attention, I genuinely knew that you were telling the truth.” Draco said. “I always prided myself on being able to read you and your emotions, I couldn’t believe Weasley was stupid enough not to believe you.”

“Yeah, that was hard actually. I felt really alone those first few weeks.” Harry said sadly. “But I didn’t include that in the book, obviously, I know Ron still feels bad about it and Merlin knows we’ve all made mistakes. Jealousy has always been an issue for Ron but his loyalty makes up for it. Our relationship has definitely been strained at times and sometimes he really infuriates me but he’ll still always be my best friend.”

“Of course he will, Harry and that’s understandable, you’ve been through so much together.” Draco said seriously. “Even though I can think of a few more faults Weasley has.” He added under his breath.

Harry chose to ignore him so Draco carried on.

“I can’t believe I never knew all of this that went on fourth year though. Reading it was like reading a fictional story, honestly, if I didn’t know how serious you were about this book I would have sworn you were making it up.” Draco said looking through the notes again to remind himself. “My version of fourth year would have been very different and a lot more boring.”

“Really?” Harry asked skeptically. 

“I always thought it was the most interesting year and in some ways it was my favourite because of how different it was, even though I was struggling with my own personal dilemma all year… but your version makes my version look boring I swear..” Draco clarified. “The first task was pretty exciting to watch and the Yule Ball was something different obviously that most of the school were thrilled about but the second and third task were pretty boring from a spectator’s perspective.”

Harry snorted. “I would have loved to have a boring year. It was all I ever wanted!”

Draco chuckled a bit too. “I bet.”

“So Professor Moody was seriously a Death Eater in disguise?” Draco asked, still not able to believe it even though it had been a couple of days since he’d read the chapters.

“Yep.” Harry said, exhaling dramatically.

“I just had no idea, about him, about the cup being a portkey about…” Draco trailed off.

“About the whole Triwizard Tournament being hijacked in order to get me to a graveyard in the end be forced to take part in a ceremony that resurrected Tom Riddle so he could start another war?” Harry asked as if it was still unbelievable to him even all these years later.

“Well yeah…” Draco agreed. “When you came back with- with Diggory… saying that He was back, I honestly was with everyone else, I had no clue about any of it and I absolutely could not believe it, even though deep down I knew you weren’t lying I wanted to believe you were...”

“I wished I had been lying.” Harry said bitterly. 

Draco took a deep breath and carried on. “I knew, obviously that Lucius had been a Death Eater in the first world war and I knew that he’d done it willingly. He boasted openly at home about the fact that he had fooled the Ministry into believing he’d been imperiused so he could escape Azkaban. He always told me he was proud to be a Death Eater and that he would do it all again but he really was all talk you know, he has never had any real courage. He believes in pureblood supremacy, there is no doubt about that but he never really thought any of it through and he was more terrified of Riddle than anyone. He wants purebloods to rule over all but he doesn’t want his hands to get dirty in order to make it happen. I don’t think he knew anything during our fourth year about the plan for Riddle to come back.

“No, I don’t think he did either.” Harry agreed. “He seemed surprised and terrified quite frankly. He was trying to worm his way out of it when Riddle accused him of not looking for him all those years, not believing in him.”

“You saw him?” Draco asked quietly, obviously already knowing the answer really. He’d known the moment Harry described the Death Eaters in the book and some of the conversations they’d had that Lucius would have been there, even if Harry didn’t name any of them.

Harry simply nodded.

Draco asked Harry if he could add what he knew of the first world war and his father being a Death Eater in the book here. Everything he’d grown up knowing and the hypocrisy of his father having extremist views and wanting the end result of the war but not wanting to personally be involved in making it happen. He wanted to include the feelings he had when hearing Harry’s words about Riddle being back and knowing in that moment what it would have meant for his family if it was true. Even though then he would never have believed an underage wizard would have been branded by the dark mark so he had thought himself safe from that for three years at least.

They talked a little bit more about the events that year. The events that Harry had written about Barty Crouch Junior’s confession under veritaserum. They also managed to get onto some of the lighter topics of that year, things that weren’t in the book but that they just reminiscences about. Things like Draco being turned into a ferret. Annoyingly Harry still found this funny but Draco did not, especially now he knew it had really been a Death Eater that had done it. At least they both still got a laugh out of remembering Weasley’s dress robes.

When it was time to go to bed they repeated their new routine they’d done for the past two nights where they would walk upstairs together and said goodnight on the top floor landing. Draco hadn’t had a bath yet today so he took one upstairs while Harry took one downstairs. Even though he heard Harry to go to bed their paths didn’t cross again. Draco was grateful for that anyway as he’d done in nightly meditation in the bath and got himself mentally ready for another night’s sleep.

Hopefully Harry would have an even better night’s sleep than the previous two which he said had been better but not perfect. Draco found himself wishing that tonight it would be perfect.

*~*

After wishing for the perfect’s night sleep for them both Draco had no sooner climbed into bed than he felt the band on his ankle, which he’d almost forgotten was even there, burn into his skin. Not enough to hurt him but definitely enough to notice the unusual warmth and shoot straight out of bed again.

As soon as he had Harry came bursting into his room not even bothering to knock.

“Stay here OK? I’m going to go and check it out.” Harry said with an air of authority to his voice.

“As if Harry, I’m coming with you.” Draco replied instinctively as he quickly looked around for some shoes and socks to put on, there wouldn’t be time for either of them to change out of their pajamas though.

“No Draco, I need you to stay here.” Harry all but commanded.

This was when Draco started getting cross as he didn’t look at Harry but just started to hurriedly put some footwear on and look for his invisible shield cloak.

“I’m not arguing about this, don’t do the whole ‘Saviour Hero’ bullshit routine OK Harry? It’s my shop, my maniac father I’m hiding from and I’m bloody coming with you. We’re wasting time.” Draco said, annoyed. 

Harry paused for a second and it was all it took for Draco to be ready. He started walking out of his bedroom door but Harry was blocking his path.

“Move.” Draco said threateningly.

It was only then as he looked at Harry’s face but the anger in him was still bubbling up and Harry’s expression did nothing to stop this at the time.

When Harry spoke again it was low and quiet. He’s lost the commanding tone to his voice and was literally pleading with Draco. “Draco, please don’t, I can cope with it OK, whatever is there, I just need a clear head to tackle it and I won’t have one if you’re there. I don’t want you to get hurt.” 

“Move, we need to go.” Draco repeated and tried to force his way past Harry.

All of a sudden he felt his whole body become stiff and he couldn’t move. Just as his rigid form began to fall backwards he floated into the air instead and his petrified body was laid onto the bed. He couldn’t move, he couldn’t speak all he could do was listen to Harry as he spoke.

“I am so sorry Draco, I know you’re going to hate me for this but I would rather you hate me and be safe than something happen to you. I can’t risk that... I couldn’t save Cedric, or Sirius or any of the others but I can save you... Hopefully you’ll forgive me.”

Then in a flash Harry was gone.

Disappeared.

And Draco could literally do nothing but wait.

Harry had left him. He had left him powerless and that was the thing that Draco hated above all else. How could the man do this to him? How could he leave him here unable to do anything. He couldn't act. All he could do was think and that was never a good thing to do. Just lying here he was thinking over every possible situation he could imagine unfolding at his shop right now. 

As time passed the imagined situations got worse and worse and he started wondering what would happen if Harry never came back at all. What if Lucius had caught him and was torturing him for information? What happened if Harry did come back but Lucius had put him under the Imperius curse?

No Draco, think! He told himself, Harry has been able to throw the Imperius curse off since he was fourteen, they had literally just discussed that a few hours ago as they remembered fourth year. At least that wasn’t something he had to worry about then. It didn’t stop him worrying about the whole other list of things that could happen though.

So he lay there... worrying and waiting... waiting and worrying for what seemed like a ridiculously long time. He didn’t know though exactly how long it had been obviously as he couldn’t check. Had it been minutes or hours? All he knew was that if his body could let him, he’d probably be having a panic attack but as his body was in a full body bind that seemed impossible and he could still breath normally through his nose. Small mercies he supposed.

Seeing as he couldn’t panic he turned his feelings into anger instead and the longer he lay there the more angry he became. If Harry wasn’t dead then Draco would kill him himself when he got back.

If he got back…

Just then he heard movement on the stairs and he wasn’t sure if he was relieved or still just down right angry. Harry came flying into his bedroom and for a split second Draco was worried he would start trying to justify his idiotic behaviour before cancelled the body-bind curse but he obviously didn’t as Draco quickly became aware of his body relaxing and he knew he would be able to speak.

But he didn’t just speak, he jumped off the bed as quick as he could and rounded on Harry. He didn’t shout, he was too stunned at what had happened to shout, but when his voice came out it was a low threatening voice that even he was scared of.

“How fucking dare you leave me like that Potter.” His eyes were menacing as he looked at Harry and he was breathing rapidly through his nostrils to try and control his anger.

Harry looked scared. Good he should be. He swallowed thickly and started to speak.

“I know, I’m sorry Draco, it was a dick move-”

“TOO FUCKING RIGHT IT WAS A DICK MOVE YOU ABSOLUTE BASTARD.” Draco shouted properly this time

“I agree and you have every right to yell at me but I-” Harry started.

Draco cut him off coldly. “Don’t Harry. I know what you’re going to say and I don’t want to hear it. There is no excuse for this, I asked for your help yes but I thought we were working together. I did NOT give you permission to just make decisions like that for me. You know what you did tonight? You took away my control Harry, my independence, my freedom to act. After everything I’ve shared with you surely you must realise how important those are to me.”

Harry suddenly looked horrified. “Shit, Draco I didn’t think of it like that-” 

“No that’s the problem isn’t it Harry, you don’t think do you?” Draco said harshly. “You always rush in and do what you think is best, sod everyone else’s opinion right? You try and be the fucking hero all the time and save everyone but it’s bullshit. You keep saying that you didn’t do all that stuff on your own, that you had help, then you tried to tell me that I should rely on people more for help instead of trying to cope by myself so I did, I came to you and what do you do? You run off into danger by yourself and leave me here. How the FUCK does that even make sense? You’re a fucking hypocrite.”

Draco was in full flow now. Voice hard and agressive, eyes cold and frightening. “You act appalled by Lucius for trying to control me and then you do the exact. same. thing.” He said spitting out every last word.

That got Harry’s attention. Good, Draco thought. He wanted to give Harry an excuse to shout at him so he could yell at him back.

Except Harry didn’t shout, not at first anyway. At first his voice was low like Draco’s had been as Harry now had to be the one to control all his emotions. Draco knew what it could do to his magic and he sensed a shift in the air straight away as Harry tried to control it.

“How could you say I’m the same as him?” Harry said dangerously. “It’s completely different, he tried to control you for his own gain. I was just trying to protect you-”

“YOU STILL DON’T GET TO MAKE THAT CALL HARRY.” Draco shouted. “YOU LEFT ME HERE AGAINST MY WILL UNABLE TO MOVE, UNABLE TO SPEAK, UNABLE TO DO A FUCKING THING UNTIL YOU CAME BACK. THAT’S FUCKED UP.”

“YOU’RE RIGHT OK.” Harry shouted too now, but it wasn’t an angry shout like Draco’s, it was more a cry of despair. 

“IT IS FUCKED UP AND I’M SORRY, I’M SO FUCKING SORRY BUT I DIDN’T KNOW WHAT ELSE TO DO. I COULDN’T SAVE CEDRIC, I COULDN’T SAVE PERCY AND REMUS AND TONKS AND THE 47 OTHERS WHO DIED THAT DAY, AND SIRIUS DIED BECAUSE I MADE THE WRONG CALL, BECAUSE I FELL INTO VOLDEMORT'S TRAP AND I COULDN’T SAVE HIM BUT I CAN STILL SAVE YOU. I WILL SAVE YOU. DON’T YOU SEE DRACO? I HAVE TO SAVE YOU BECAUSE I THINK YOU MIGHT POSSIBLY BE THE BEST DAMN THING THAT’S EVER HAPPENED TO ME IN MY LIFE. I HAVE TO PROTECT YOU NO MATTER WHAT THE COST BECAUSE I THINK IF I LOSE YOU I MIGHT JUST LOSE MYSELF. I HAVE TO KEEP YOU SAFE BECAUSE I KNOW IT’S ONLY BEEN FIVE FUCKING DAYS SINCE WE KISSED BUT I THINK I MIGHT BE FALLING FOR YOU ALREADY AND I CAN’T LOSE YOU TOO…” 

Harry’s magic had started to bubble beneath the surface as he cried out and Draco could feel the energy increasing in the room. Slowly but surely Harry started to shake more and more and every single thing in the room around them started to shake with him. The vibrations were increasing until Harry had lowered his volumes and repeated those last four words.

“I can’t lose you too.” he repeated but softer.

Draco watched as Harry stood there and closed his eyes tightly. He brought his hands over his face too and just repeated those words to himself “I can’t lose you too. I can’t lose you too.” over and over again like a mantra. He was breathing deeply and slowly as he chanted and as he did so everything in the room slowly stopped shaking and things returned to normal.

Harry was silent and still for one moment until he muttered “Fuck.” and crumpled into a heap on the floor so quickly that Draco knew he’d collapsed. 

Suddenly everything Draco had been feeling and thinking just disappeared. In that moment all he could see was Harry’s pain and nothing else mattered. He rushed forward quickly and was suddenly on the floor holding Harry in his arms. Harry was lip and unresponsive. 

“Harry?” He questioned worriedly. 

“Rennervate” he said pointing his wand at Harry.

No nothing. Draco sighed. He levitated Harry in the air and carefully laid him on the massive plush bed in Draco’s room.

Draco should have known, he’d provoked Harry into getting angry because he’d wanted a shouting match, he was angry and he needed to let his feelings out but that wasn’t something Harry could do. Harry couldn’t control his emotions, his magic. It looked like he’d tried to control it and it had been too much for him.

Damn it, why had he pushed him, why couldn’t they have just had a normal conversation like normal people? Because he royally fucked up and pissed you off that’s why, Draco thought to himself. Still though, he should have known it was too much for Harry today. He hadn’t been himself for a couple of days and had been dealing with all the grief he’d repressed for years. The feelings of Cedric, Sirius, Lupin and all the others dying and Harry feeling partly responsible, which is still ridiculous, had all come to the surface after years of burying them and then Harry had been threatened by danger tonight of all nights. It was too much.

Well, it had been the threat to him that Harry seemingly couldn’t cope with, Draco thought. How much of Harry’s raged shouting confession was true? Had Harry really said he was falling for him? Had Draco just imagined that? Was that really how Harry felt.

Then he felt a sudden crushing pain looking at Harry passed on on his bed. He was still angry at him and no doubt they would have to talk about this, but talk is what they would do. No more shouting, no more getting angry, no more making Harry force himself to try and control his emotions, his magic. That wouldn’t solve anything. Harry did best when he was just talking and being honest with Draco by his side reassuring him. That’s what they would do when Harry woke up.

Harry still needed to understand how his actions made Draco feel but in this moment all Draco could think about was Harry saying he was falling for him. What did that mean? He hadn’t used the dreaded ‘l’ word, it was far too early for that and Draco was not ready to hear it. But no doubt Harry’s feelings for him were serious. If he really thought about it he could understand why Harry would need to protect him, to keep him safe when he’d lost so many others that he’d cared about. It was true that losing one more might just break him.

Truthfully, Draco’s heart ached with the knowledge that someone wanted to protect him this much. In the war he’d had no one that wanted to protect him that much, not even his own family, and that’s what he longed for more than anything else. Here Harry was willing to risk everything just to keep him safe. Just like that Draco felt his last ounce of anger towards the handsome bed on his bed ease away. Harry cared for him, was falling for him and would do anything for him. 

He sighed and then climbed onto bed next to lie next to Harry. He gently placed a kiss onto Harry’s forehead and then laid next to him just gently stroking the side of his face. He looked so handsome like this, just resting. Draco realised that he still didn’t know what happened at the shop but he figured if Harry was back then it must be OK and he was sure if something really bad had happened Harry would have led with that when he came back. He would never have returned if it meant leaving one of the others in danger and as long as everyone was safe that’s all that really mattered.

Just then Harry started to stir, his hands reaching round to feel where he was but his eyes still closed.

“Draco…?” His lips whispered in a dry cracked voice.

“I’m here Harry.” He replied soothingly.

“I’m sorry.” Harry replied quietly.

“I know you are.” Draco said honestly. “I’m sorry too. We’ll talk about it but for now you need to rest.”

Harry nodded and made a noise that Draco didn’t understand.

“Harry, before you sleep just tell me everything is OK at the shop?” Draco asked quietly.

Harry nodded again. “Band triggered by someone, Graham saw woman, but she gone, everyone fine, shop good.” Harry mumbled.

“OK.” Draco said, he’d get the full story in the morning but for now it was late and it seemed like everything was fine. “I’m going to get your sprays OK and then you can sleep here tonight. Let’s get you under the covers.”

Harry mumbled a thanks and Draco managed to get him under the covers, Harry’s body cooperating with the way Draco moved it. He walked over the landing to Harry’s room, summoned the chamomile and lavender sprays, then he returned to his bed spraying both the sprays on Harry’s pillow just next to where his head was laying. 

Then Draco got under the covers himself and snuggled into Harry’s side.

“Sleep now Harry.” He said soothingly. “I’m going to be here all night, OK? So you’re not alone and you can sleep.”

“You staying?” Harry whispered into his pillow.

“Yes Harry, I’m staying… always.” Draco said quietly into Harry’s ear.

Harry made a satisfying noise and reached round pulling Draco closer to him. Then he slept.

Draco stayed like that for hours just curled round Harry not moving, wishing to give Harry the reassurance he needed. Whilst Harry slept Draco thought to himself. He had a lot to think about.

*~*

Drao didn’t sleep a wink that night. He knew his mind wasn’t in any state to sleep and his priority was to make sure that Harry did after draining himself of all his energy. Besides he’d never slept cureled round besides someone like this, it wasn’t what he was used to but it wasn’t the worst thing in the world to have Harry in his bed. He liked being beside him even if he usually did prefer to sleep spread out a bit more. Just watching Harry sleep though, it was peaceful and it made Draco feel warm. 

For the first time in his life he felt like he could have that special someone that he’d secretly always wanted but he never thought it would happen. That someone was Harry and he knew it, he had all night to think about it. Draco was a pragmatic man, he wasn’t swept away in some foolish fairytale where he thought everything would be perfect. He knew that they were both still dealing with a lot of shit and they both struggled with their emotions in a different way.

Together they faced more obstacles than a lot of other couples would and it should be enough to scare them off from trying but nothing in Draco’s life and come easily to him and he wasn’t scared of a challenge. Not when the rewards could be worth it and he’d seen enough of the life he could have here with Harry in a proper relationship to know that it would most definitely be worth it. He decided once and for all that it was what he wanted and once Draco got it in his head that he wanted something he didn’t let it go. 

Draco watched the moment Harry woke up thinking he could get used to seeing him wake up everyday.

He smiled at Harry as those bottle green eyes opened and waited until Harry realised where he was.

“I’m in your bed.” Harry said, blinking rapidly his voice croaky. “With you.” He added.

Draco laughed. “Yes, you are. Morning.”

“But I fucked up.” Harry said as he slowly sat up. “You were angry at me, I thought you’d hate me… how did I end up sleeping here?” He said, confused.

Draco sat up too as they both rested their backs against the headboard, legs stretched out in front of them under the covers still. 

“You passed out, I think you were trying to control your magic so it didn’t explode or something but the energy drained you… I haven’t ever heard of that to be honest but that’s what it looked like.” Draco said casually having had all night to think about it. 

Harry groaned as if he was remembering.

“Has that happened before?” Draco asked softly.

Harry said nothing but nodded slowly.

Draco sighed and thought he’d just carry on leading the discussion.

“You did mess up Harry and you’re right I was really angry at you.” He started explaining slowly. “I’m not sure I’ve completely forgiven you but I definitely don’t hate you.”

“You don’t?” Harry questioned in a small voice looking down at the bed.

“No.” Draco said softly. He reached over and gently cupped Harry’s face to turn it towards him so they could look at each other properly. “I could never hate you, not now. You can still infuriate me and I’m sure we’ll both still mess up from time to time and we might even fight but we’ll never hate each other I don’t think. We can always work it out I’m sure.” Draco said honestly after he’d been contemplating it for hours.

Harry was quiet for a moment as he looked at Draco clearly thinking over his words. After a short while he spoke softly again. “You really think that?”

“Yes.” Draco said simply, then he hesitated for a moment a brief wave of familiar insecurity fluttering through him. “Do you not?” He asked cautiously.

Harry smiled the tiniest of smiles that gave Draco hope. “I think I do.” He replied. “I know I could never hate you and I definitely like to think that we could just talk about things and work it out but…” Then he sighed and looked sad again. “I just feel like I keep messing up. I keep trying to help you but making the wrong decision.”

Draco shrugged. “I’m not perfect, no one is, I could have handled things better too.” He hesitated slightly before plunging in, he needed to know.

“Last night…” He started cautiously. “I think I understand why you did what you did. You’ve been dealing with your repressed grief over the past few days and your misplaced feelings of guilt towards those deaths, then you were faced with a potential situation which could have caused me harm and you… care about me, you couldn’t cope with anything else happening to someone that you care about… So although I still think you made the wrong call and I need you to really understand how it made me feel, I do understand your reason for doing it… and I can accept that and move on from it as long as you learn from it and never do it again.”

Harry was staring at him and it made Draco a bit uneasy, he wasn’t quite quite sure what was going through Harry’s head.

After another couple of seconds, just as Draco was about to prompt him, Harry spoke.

“You are amazing.” He swallowed thickly his voice full of emotion. “I can’t believe how understanding you are…”

Harry trailed off and then suddenly he turned his face away and screwed his eyes up. Draco looked at him and he looked like he was trying not to cry.

“Harry,” He said softly. “Talk to me, tell me what you’re feeling.”

Harry pursed his lips tightly and shook his head with his eyes still screwed up.

Draco spoke again slightly more forcefully but still trying to be gentle. “Harry, I was thinking last night that neither of us, particularly you, cope well when we try and suppress what we feel. We need to make sure we always talk about things, always upfront and honest. That’s what we said from the start and when we are that’s when things work out well. So tell me.”

Then there was a kind of muffled laugh from Harry as he covered his face with his hands and shook his head again. He brought his hands up through his hair and looked down as he spoke.

“It’s just you Draco.” He said quietly. “You’re just so… perfect-”

Draco snorted. “I am far from perfect!” He cried in outrage.

Then suddenly Harry was looking at him again and his face was stroking the side of his face.

“I was going to say that you’re perfect for me.” Harry said softly.

“Oh.” Draco said quietly.

There was a pause and the air was thick with tension until Harry spoke again still maintaining eye contact with Draco.

“I’m so messed up Draco and I just never thought I’d be able to find anyone who understood me and my emotions, my magic, my motivations.” Harry said quietly. “You… you understand me more than I think I understand myself and I just don’t even get how that’s possible and I…I- fuck!”

Harry was shaking again slightly and Draco thought he knew what he was trying to say but why he couldn’t say it… it was terrifying. “You’re… falling for me?” He prompted using Harry’s words from last night.

Draco watched as Harry turned his face away again. “I really said that huh?” He said quietly looking at the wall.

“Yeah you kind of did.” Draco said smiling fondly.

Harry sighed. “I know how ridiculous that sounds, I know it’s way too fast and I don’t blame you if it freaks you out…” Harry trailed off again.

“It does a bit.” Draco admitted. “This whole thing we have going on bloody terrifies me but the last couple of weeks with you have also been the best two weeks on my life and yeah it is fast, it’s really fast but so what? It’s me and you Harry, when have our lives ever been normal? When have we ever done anything conventional?”

Harry scoffed. “Yes you have a point.” Then he took a deep breath and turned to face Draco again. “Are you saying… What are you saying?”

Draco looked into Harry’s eyes and smiled softly. “I’m saying I’m falling for you too Harry.”

There was another moment where it seemed like time stood still and then Harry leaned over and gave Draco a fierce possessive kiss.

Harry broke away but he stayed close just trailing his hands down the side of Draco’s face. Draco put a hand on Harry’s chest firmly. “Just don’t ever pull that crap again OK? If we’re in this when we’re in this properly, together, we make decisions together and if the bands get triggered again we’re going to face whatever happens together.”

“Agreed.” Harry said quickly. “I’m really sorry, again, it was a stupid thing to do. I was just worried about going into a potentially dangerous situation with you. I was worried if you were under threat I wouldn’t be able to keep my cool with my magic and that someone would end up getting hurt.”

He then put his hand on top of Draco’s and clutched it to his chest, right across his heart. “But you’re right, of course, we should make decisions together… if- if-”

“If?” Draco promised with a smile.

“Ifwe’regoingtobetogetherproperly” Harry rushed out all at once without taking a breath.

Draco laughed. “I’m sorry Harry, want to repeat that?”

Harry took a deep breath. “If we’re going to be together properly.” He said much more clearly.

“Harry Potter.” Draco said suggestively. “Are you asking me to be your boyfriend?”

His face flushed and he nodded shyly.

Draco frowned at him. “Well you have to actually say it, no one has ever asked me before don’t take it away from me.” He said in a mock sulk.

Harry looked surprised and still a little embarrassed. “Really?”

“Yes really, I know it’s pathetic that I’ve never been in a relationship-” Draco started but Harry interrupted him. 

“I’ve never been in one either.” He said quickly.

That took Draco by surprise. “Oh.” He said simply. “Really?”

Harry laughed and nodded. 

“Hmm.” Draco said. “No wonder we’re both so crap at this then.”

Harry laughed again. “Yeah, guess so. We’re hopeless!” He smiled fondly at Draco again. “So what do you say Draco Black? Care to be my first official boyfriend?”

Draco smiled broadly. This was even better, he got to be Harry’s first something, the possessive side of him definitely liked that. “Yes Harry, I’d like that very much.”

Harry kissed Draco again and then let out a long breath. “Well thank Merlin for that. You know the other day when I said I wasn’t needy enough to require a label for this?” He said gesturing between them.

“You were lying?” Draco asked with amusement. 

“Most definitely.” Harry said chuckling.

“It’s OK Harry, I know neither one wanted to come across too strongly too soon but I actually do much better if I know where I stand with someone and have a label for something too. I like rules and structure and I think it was only a matter of time before I lost my mind and asked exactly what we were doing here.” Draco said honestly.

“Good.” Harry said smiling. “We can do rules if you want?”

Draco thought for a moment. “Well… this is exclusive right?” He said slightly unsure.

“I’d like it to be.” Harry said seriously.

Draco sighed in relief. “Me too.” He said smiling, then turned his thought to a few other things. “The only other rules really are the things I’ve already said, honesty above all, we need to continue to talk to each other, tell each other how we’re feeling. Respect is good too, last night it didn’t feel like you respected me or my ability to make my own decision, to take care of myself and I didn’t like that. Don’t ever assume things for me or make plans for me without consulting me. I need you to talk to me about things. I don’t like control being taken from me and I don’t like surprises.”

Harry was nodding and looked serious, taking everything Draco was saying in. “OK, I completely agree and I can get on boards with all of those things. Anything else?”

“I still want my independence.” Draco said straight away. “Normally I’d say I want to take it slow but you know we do already live together! I like living here with you though, I like seeing you everyday but I think it works because I still have my work which I can use as my time and I like having lots of different rooms in the house that I can go to and do my own thing. Plus, I know we kind of said we missed each other Sunday cos we’d only just kissed for the first time and all I wanted to do was snog you senseless all day-”

Harry laughed.

“-but I think it’s a good thing that we both still have separate friends that we spend time with.” Draco continued. “I know you’re friends with Blaise and Daphne too and I genuinely do really like that as I couldn’t be with someone who didn't get on with them, but I still want my own time with them too.”

“I completely get that and it’s probably healthy to be together all the time for everything. I know how important your business and your friends are to you and I never want to take those away from you.” Harry answered sincerely.

“So are we really doing this?” Draco asked quietly.

“Yes.” Harry said decisively. “You are exactly who I’ve been waiting for and I’m officially taking you off the market before someone else snaps you up.”

Harry leaned in and planted kisses all over Draco’s face making him laugh and bat him away.

That was how Draco got his first official boyfriend.

A boyfriend who happened to be none other than Harry fucking Potter.

And he was bloody happy about it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I actually wasn't going to have them be officially together so soon but I just couldn't wait I want them to be together!  
> Plus I was discussing this with someone in the comments but to me they both seem like people who would struggle not knowing where they stand and wanting the comfort of a label so hopefully you think it works and it's in keeping with the progression of the story and the way I've written their characters.  
> Again I know it's quite Harry/Draco centric at the moment and there is a lot of talking (which is why I put a tiny bit of action in here for you) but that's important to progress the plot at that point. I'll write a couple of fluffy scenes and being in the side characters soon!  
> *~*  
> Real life is a bit busier for me at the moment so I'm afraid I'll only be adding a chapter every other day now. I'm going to aim to post between 7pm-9pm (UK time) every Monday, Wednesday, Friday and Sunday. (the Sunday one might be a bit hit and miss though)


	25. Harry: Wednesday 19th October

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Harry and Draco spend their first day as an official couple!  
> They make progress on the book together before Harry goes to spend time with Teddy and Dromeda.  
> When he returns home Draco has a bit of a treat for him!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know this chapter is a couple of hours late :O but I just wanted it to be perfect! I like how it came together so hope you do too!
> 
> Some cute/funny Harry and Teddy moments here!I've been wanting to include Teddy more for a while and this just felt like the right time.  
> A little bit of fluff and side characters thrown in to break up the Harry/Draco moments in this chapter (although there is plenty of Harry/Draco too!)

“Are we actually mental?” Harry asked Draco for about the third time over breakfast that morning.

“Yes, most definitely.” Draco replied as he ate his croissants.

“I mean, it’s so fast.” Harry mumbled into his coffee.

“Yes, it’s crazy fast.” Draco agreed again having had this discussion a few times already in the space of an hour.

“Six weeks ago I was just coasting along, I knew what I wanted my life to look like but I had no idea how to make it happen and now…” Harry said as he pushed his empty plate away. “Now everything is so totally different.”

“In a good way?” Draco asked him, smiling.

“Yes of course in a good way you twit.” Harry replied fondly.

He looked at the beautiful blonde man across the table from him and could not believe how lucky he was..

“So, the original plan this morning was for me to help you write fifth year.” Draco started as his plate was also empty now. “Did you still want to do that or do you think it will be a bit much for you today?”

Harry paused for a moment not quite knowing what he wanted. “Let’s push ahead and do it while you’re around as I know you’ll be working for the next two days. If it gets too much for me then we’ll stop. I’m sure you’ll notice before I do so tell me and I’ll listen to you.”

Draco looked at him skeptically. “You’ll listen to me?” 

Harry smiled slightly as Draco’s expression but then turned serious again. “Yes Draco, I swear I’m going to start listening to you more. I know I have a lot to learn but I want to, especially now this is official, now I know you want this, I’m not going to do anything to ruin it.”

Draco reached across the table for Harry’s hand. “I know Harry, we’ll learn together.” 

Then Draco stood up elegantly from the table. Everything he did was elegant, Harry thought to himself, just watching him do simple everyday things is beautiful. “I’m going to go have a shower and get dressed. I’ll meet you in your study?”

Harry nodded. “Sure.” he replied as he watched Draco leave the room. 

That left Harry wondering when it became acceptable for boyfriends to shower together, something that he’d never done with anyone else but there was something very tempting about following Draco into the shower. He reminded himself though what Draco had said about taking it slow. Was it normal to start a relationship with someone you hadn’t even seen topless? Harry had no idea. Mind you, George and Daphne had gone on enough dates now to call themselves an official couple but Harry was pretty sure they hadn’t slept together yet. What date did that normally happen?

Then he remembered something else that Draco had said. ‘When have we ever done anything conventional?’ Yes it was fast, yes it was crazy but did it feel right for them? Yes. So screw trying to work out what was ‘normal’ Harry thought to himself as he also went upstairs to get dressed.

They met back again five minutes later in Harry’s study, as it had all the other notes from the book in and Draco’s was full of his business stuff, but it was Draco who sat at the desk quill in hand. 

“So, did you read what I’ve got so far?” Harry asked him.

Draco nodded. “I have to say, reading your notes on what this house was like then was entertaining. I mean, I know you told me it was bad but you never mentioned how delightful my Great Aunt was.”

Harry chuckled. “Yeah, did you never meet her?”

“I think I must have done.” Draco frowned. “We used to have lots of gatherings at the Manor when I was little and she must have been at some of the early ones but I don’t remember her particularly and she died when I was five so…”

“Well just be thankful that after the war was over I could finally get some experts in to remove her, otherwise you wouldn’t find living here nearly as relaxing.” Harry said seriously.

“I believe you.” Draco answered back. “The section on the Order is fascinating though, even if you weren’t allowed in any official meetings. The Order is famous and I think that’s partly what the public really want to hear about, I think it might be a good idea to ask some of the surviving members like Mr Weasley to write a bit more on what actually happened in the meetings and more about the structure of the order. I know you said you didn’t want this book to solely be your voice so now might be the time to add a few others in.”

Something clicked in Harry’s brain. “Draco, that’s a brilliant idea, why didn’t I think of that?”

“I guess that’s why it helps to have someone on the outside that can give you more of an idea what people want to know.” Draco said seriously. Then he smiled. “Plus I’m just a lot cleverer than you.”

“Yes, alright don’t push it.” Harry grumbled at him. Then he sat up a bit straighter and spoke clearly. “I’ll pop into the Ministry tomorrow and see if Arthur has time to see me. I might even send a note to Bill and see if I can meet him on his lunch break too, he might like to be included and another voice would be good. Plus Gandalf will be glad of the chance to stretch his wings.”

“Good idea.” Draco said casually, then he turned more serious as he looked through the notes he had made of Harry’s fifth year chapter. “So fifth year was pretty shit for you right?”

Harry scoffed. “Yeah you could say that, with no one believeing me and treating me like a mental case. Plus Umbridge, the nightmares and occlumency lessons with Snape… yeah, it wasn’t my favourite year.”

“You didn’t mention your occlumency lessons were with Snape.” Draco said dramatically and then snorted. “No wonder you’re useless at it, I thought Dumbledore would have taught you.”

“What, you really believed I was doing remedial potions?” Harry asked, rolling his eyes.

“Well, yeah kind of.” Draco said, making a face.

Harry punched him lightly on the arm. “Git.”

Draco laughed. “Oh, come on, I’m sorry but that was one of my highlights of that year, it’s sad now to know it wasn’t true.”

“Seriously though, why didn’t Dumbledore teach you?” Draco asked. “He’s literally not mentioned so far in fifth year.”

“That’s because he avoided me like the plague all year.” Harry said seriously. “Another thing that pissed me off.”

“Why?” Draco asked, not understanding.

“You know the visions of Voldy I mention?” Harry asked.

Draco nodded slowly but was frowning. “Yeah, I still don’t really understand that… connection you seemed to have and how it worked. I thought there might be something because in a couple of the… meetings that I did have to go to, Riddle would mention stuff about just ‘knowing’ what you would do and then you talked about your scar hurting and then being able to read his emotions and see visions… I had no idea you had that going on in your head… that’s, wow, yeah, that’s a lot.”

“Yeah it wasn’t pleasant…” Harry shuddered at the thought of it. “But… well I didn’t like it but it was kind of useful sometimes. Ron understood it, Hermione didn’t seem to, but it felt good to me to be able to know what Riddle was up to and it did kind of save Arthur’s life… although Riddle also used it to trick me which is how Sirius… It’s complicated I guess... Anyway, Dumbledore thought if Riddle could see inside my head then he would use it to see what Dumbledore and the order was up to so that’s why he stayed away. I don’t blame him I suppose even though it didn’t feel great at the time… I just still feel like sometimes Dumbledore could have told me so much more. I was angry at him for a lot of things… I was angry all the time that year and everyone though…”

“I don’t blame you. That’s a hell of a lot to handle at fifteen Harry.” Draco said quietly, then Harry noticed he looked very troubled about something. “I’m sorry I didn’t help matters… with Umbridge I mean, I… Did- did she do that… on the back of your hand?”

Harry raised his left hand to look at the familiar ugly raised scarring that ran across it. It wasn’t read anymore, it had mostly completely faded but if you looked closely the skin was raised in such a manner that it still read ‘I must not tell lies’. He nodded slowly.

“I knew she used blood quills on you all when you came out of the Great Hall that time but I didn’t expect it to scar that badly.” Draco admitted quietly. 

“Well she had practiced her special quill on me rather a lot before then, pretty much all year in fact.” Harry said bitterly. 

“That’s messed up for a teacher.” Draco said, seemingly disgusted, then his expression turned sad and more serious. “I know being on the bloody inquisitorial squad was another dick move of mine but… it made me feel good to do something. I knew you and your gang were up to something and I… well I know it sounds ridiculously petty with the war and everything but I wanted your attention in any way I could. I couldn’t be part of your little group so I wanted to break it up and have your attention back on me… I was pathetic.”

Harry wasn't quite sure how to respond to Draco’s confession, he was still processing it all so he didn’t say anything he just kind of shrugged a bit.

“The war hadn’t really started for me then.” Draco said quietly. “Like I said before, I actually did believe you especially because it tallied up with the fact that my father was essentially missing all summer after fourth year. He wouldn’t tell me what he was up to but I knew he was scared about something. I knew something would happen but I… I foolishly didn’t think then it would be that bad or that it would involve me personally I guess… Or I did but I was just in denial… messing with you and your group gave me something to focus on…”

“That does make sense.” Harry said honestly. “I can see it from your point of view and like I said, there’s nothing to forgive from back then it’s just how we were but it’s not how we are now.”

“No it’s not.” Draco said smiling. 

Harry, who up until now had been kind of pacing the room, came and stood close to where Draco was sitting at the desk and laid his hand across Draco’s slender shoulders. Draco rested his head on Harry’s stomach and Harry ran his hand through Draco’s soft hair, his new favourite thing to do.

“You know I absolutely hate people touching my hair normally.” Draco said quietly.

“Oh.” Harry said quickly as his fingers froze. “Do you want me to stop?”

“No.” Draco said simply as he snuggled into Harry and wrapped his arms around his hips leading his hands to rest on the waistband of Harry’s jeans, his fingers trailing down dangerously close to Harry’s arse.

Harry moved his fingers through Draco’s hair once more and smiled to himself that he was allowed to do this. Then Draco slowly inched his fingers under Harry’s top and moved his hands up slightly so they were resting on Harry’s lower back. Harry felt his breath hitch slightly, this was the first time he had Draco’s hands on his bare skin. His hands were a bit cold but that made the touch all the nicer as Harry suddenly felt hot all over.

Then he heard a low moan escape Draco’s lips as he nestled his head into Harry’s toned stomach and slowly moved his hands upwards across Harry’s bare back pulling his top up slightly as he did so.

“Hmm” Harry said out loud in encouragement. 

Draco then used his hands to push the fabric of Harry’s top up around his waist and held it there. Then he started planting soft little seductive kisses over Harry’s lower abdomen and on the little trail of dark curly hair that nestled there.

He practically growled into Harry as he buried his head into his lower torso. “Fuck Harry.”

Harry chuckled and pulled Draco’s head back slightly so that he could look down at his face. Draco’s eyes met his and they were stormy grey with desire.

“We’re supposed to be writing the next bit.” Harry said with a hint of amusement. “You know, the bit that I couldn’t write by myself and you’re supposed to be helping me with?”

“Hmm I am helping.” Draco said happily, rubbing little circles into Harry’s back with his hands.

“Helping distract me?” Harry asked.

“Helping to relieve your stress.” Draco replied with a mischievous smile. “It worked well the other day, remember?”

“I remember vividly.” Harry said, his cock twitching slightly at the memory. “I thought you said you wanted to take it slow?” He asked Draco seriously.

“Yeah I meant ‘let’s not get married’ next week not ‘let’s not ever touch each other’” Draco said, making his desire for Harry very clear.

Harry laughed. “Well that is a relief to hear but…” He sighed. “I really do want to get this done this morning. I’m picking up Teddy later and you took time off from your work especially.”

“Hmm damn you with your plans and your sound logic.” Draco whined. Then he pulled his head back, eyes closed and kind of shook it a bit as if riding himself of his thoughts. He took a deep breath and then opened his eyes. “What time will you be back tonight?”

“Not late.” Harry shrugged. “Probably around nine… why?” He asked slightly suggestively.

“I’m making a plan.” Draco said with a mischievous look in his eye.

Harry laughed. “OK then, it’s a date.” Then he leaned down and kissed his boyfriend.

*~*

They did actually make quite a lot of progress on the book that day fortunately and with Draco’s help Harry was able to talk about the battle at the Ministry that year. Draco comforted him during the bits that got hard to say and then asked questions about the elements that needed clarifying all whilst recording the information. When Harry read back what Draco had written it was much better than his jumbled notes he usually had to edit at least twice before they read as a completed chapter. 

Harry made sure to speak of the heroics of Ginny, Neville and Luna that day as well as the others of course as well as how lucky they were to have the order arrive. He also made sure to note that it was Snape who alerted the order but as ever he didn’t name the specific Death Eater actions with one exception, he had to say exactly who killed Sirius.

...

“He’d be proud of you, you know...” Draco had said softly. “...happy for you.”

“You think?” had been Harry’s quiet response.

“Of course.” Draco had insisted. “I mean look at this place for starters. He gave this to you, he wanted you to have it and you’ve made it into an amazing home.”

“Yeah… home.” Harry had said to himself. It had never felt like home before but now...now it did, now that he had someone to share it with… If Draco was staying that is.

“Plus, you did it Harry,” Draco had continued. “You went on and won the war. You made sure he didn’t die for nothing, you avenged him, you cleared his name and now you’re honouring him. What more could you possibly have done?... He would want you to be happy too.”

“I am happy.” Harry had said simply, knowing for the first time that it was true.

…

Things had got interesting when they’d started speaking about the prophecy earlier that day too. Of course it was common knowledge the hall of prophecies had been destroyed that day. Lots of people had speculated, rightly so, that the Death Eaters had been trying to obtain a prophecy that related to Harry and Voldemort and even had a good guess at what that prophecy had said but up until now Harry had never publicly confirmed it. 

“It’s a shame that the prophecy smashed.” Draco said. “I heard all about it at home of course… that summer… well it wasn’t my best.”

“No, I can’t imagine it was.” Harry said softly. “I’m sorry.”

Draco shrugged. “Lucius was a fool, making promises to- to Riddle that he couldn't keep. He promised he would get the prophecy and he failed.”

“I’m sorry that you had to pay the price for that.” Harry said sincerely.

“Yes, me too,” Draco said sadly. Harry noticed his right hand just gently touching his left forearm absentmindedly. “But I meant it was a shame for you that the prophecy smashed, not for Him, or me. I’m glad he never got to hear whatever it was as he obviously wanted to, but do you think you’d like to have known? Whether the whole ‘chosen one’ thing was true or not?”

“Actually, I did know.” Harry said quietly. “Dumbledore heard the prophecy when it was first made so I heard it all…”

“You did?” Draco said shocked.

Harry had said nothing but had simply nodded. Draco had been on the edge of his seat. “So…” Draco took a deep breath. “Was it true?”

Harry had nodded again and Draco had let out a long low whistle. “So it had to be you? And you knew that when you were fifteen?”

“Yeah…” Harry said quietly. “It didn’t really change anything for me though in a way. I wanted to be the one to kill him ever since I found out he killed my parents. I think I always knew really since I found out who Voldemort- sorry Riddle, who he was, that it was always going to come down to me or him.”

Draco had stood up and held Harry for the longest time. Neither speaking, nor moving, just holding each other and providing comfort for one another in that moment. Hopefully they would always be there to give that to each other.

Having spoken to Neville first and got his permission, Harry allowed Draco to write all the details of the prophecy in full and the explanation for the first time ever in print. Draco had been surprised to say the least that things could have gone very differently but to Harry there was nothing to be gained from the ‘what ifs’. He’d pained himself with that once but it was a never ending road that was best left alone. Harry told Draco that it had been Snape who carried word of the prophecy to Voldemort but had just called him an ‘anonymous Death Eater’ in the book. It wouldn’t do to pass blame, that’s not what the book was for and Snape had made up for his mistakes in the end.

So by the time Harry needed to leave to go pick up Teddy another one of his school years was completed in the book and they were that much closer to getting it all written. 

*~*

Teddy went to a small wizarding primary school in the middle of nowhere in the lake district. It was beautiful there and they did lots of learning and playing in outdoor classrooms which Teddy loved. Wizarding primary schools are becoming more and more popular now since more women were opting to return to work after having children and less young witches and wizards were being homeschooled like the Weasleys were before Hogwarts. 

The school had been recommended to Harry by one of the female aurors who was determined to keep her career after becoming a mum and he’d passed on the information to Dromeda. A muggle school was out of the question for Teddy given they wouldn’t be able to explain how his hair changed depending on what mood he was in but his regular teacher was really good at understanding all of Teddy’s complicated emotional states and seeing when they were coming.

Unfortunately today it seemed like the substitute teacher was standing in for Teddy’s regular teacher. Harry groaned inwardly when he saw her. It wasn’t as if she was a bad teacher, Teddy loved her but everytime Harry saw her she always flirted with him like mad which made him uncomfortable. Hopefully today he could just pick Teddy up and leave.

Teddy was usually in a good mood after school with lots of excess energy and he especially loved Wednesdays when Harry picked him up. Most of the time he’d come tearing out of the gates towards Harry with bright blue hair indicating that he was excited and raring to go. Today though he came out quietly and slowly and he all but ignored Victoire as she waved him goodbye. He had light brown hair and green eyes, looking exactly like a mini Remus Lupin. Harry recognised this mood straight away, it was how Teddy always looked when he was sad or thoughtful, whenever they talked about his parents. 

Fleur who was hovering nearby saw Teddy and recognised this emotion too. She mouthed to Harry to check he would be OK but Harry could see her already struggling with a crying baby Louis in her arms and Dominique running around her legs so he gestured to her that he would be fine but thanks.

When Teddy reached him, he simply put his arms around Harry’s legs. Harry knelt down so he could give Teddy a proper cuddle. He was about to ask him what was wrong when he heard the familiar voice of Miss Violet, Teddy’s teacher for the day and felt a delicate female hand on his shoulder.

“Hi Harry.” Came the voice, she was always far too friendly and informal for Harry’s liking. Teddy’s normal teacher always called him Mr. Potter and he knew her better.

Teddy was really curled into him so Harry picked him up and continued to hug him as he stood up. He casually managed to shake off Miss Violet’s hand from his shoulder as he did so.

“Afternoon, Miss Violet.” Harry said, keeping the formalities and getting straight to the point. “What happened today?” 

“We’ve been talking about family.” The teacher said softly. “I’m sorry Harry, I should have warned you this was on the lesson plan for today.” She said, taking a step closer to him and placing her hand back on his arm.

Harry took a step back, this game was exhausting and he didn’t like it. “Yes, that would have been preferable. Miss Nancy does usually give us the heads up if she thinks something might upset Teddy, he is a very emotional child.”

“Yes, I know he is, our dear sweet little Teddy. You’re so good with him Harry.” She said, this time opting to run her hand down Teddy’s back as Harry held him. “Forgive me for not mentioning it, perhaps if you give me your floo address I can consult you in person on any future lesson plans which might have this effect.”

Harry gritted his teeth, she certainly was persistent. “That won’t be necessary thank you. The two way journal Teddy has has always been an effective method of communication for Miss Nancy and she has Teddy’s home address to use in case of emergencies.”

“Of course.” Miss Violet said but she wasn’t put off. “We have set a homework assignment which might be a bit challenging for Teddy. I wanted to make sure I talked it over with you properly as I know how invested you are in Teddy’s education. Perhaps you’d like to meet me tonight and I can go over it with you?”

She paused for a moment and Harry was just contemplating how to say no when she fluttered her eyelids at him in a weird way, why women thought that would work Harry had no idea but she wasn’t done. “We could get some dinner and make a date of it?” She said suggestively.

Harry took a more deliberate step back from her and looked at her square in the eye so she would finally get the hint once and for all. “I don’t think my boyfriend would like that.” He said before he could help himself. 

His stomach did a little flip as he said the word for the first time to someone else. He had a boyfriend!

That did the trick though, thought Harry as Miss Violent looked confused and disappointed at the same time. “Oh boyfriend…” She said out loud not able to recover smoothly from the revelation. “Right… Ok…” She stammered. “Well all the details of the homework are in the journal anyway. Good Day Mr. Potter.” She said quickly with a flush and then she was gone.

Thank goodness, thought Harry. “Come on Teddy.” He said to the little boy in his arms. “Let’s get you home and you can tell me all about it.”

Dromeda wasn’t home when they got back to the house she shared with Teddy, the house that his mother had grown up in. She often wasn’t if Harry brought Teddy straight home though instead of going to the park. Harry likes having the one on one time with his Godson and Dromeda likes having a day to go about her chores in town and see her friends without having to rush home so it suits them both. 

He made Teddy his favourite snack of cheese cubes and grapes then they talked about why Teddy was sad.

“Miss Violet said we n-need to do a p-piccha of our f-family in a tree, why do they need to be in a tree?” Teddy questioned thoughtfully, he was always an inquisitive child.

“Picture, Teddy.” Harry said, gently correcting his pronunciation.

“Picture” Teddy repeated, perfectly concentrating hard. 

“That’s it.” Harry said encouragingly. “And the tree is a funny thing really but that’s just what we call it when we draw our family members and connect them all to each other, it’s called a family tree.”

“But my Mummy and Daddy aren’t in the tree.” Teddy said sadly. 

“They're not physically here with you now” Harry said softly. “But they would still be in your family tree and your Grandad Ted too.”

“So I can still draw them?” Teddy said excitedly, his hair changing from light brown to bright pink.

Harry chuckled as he always did when Teddy’s mood lifted so quickly and so obviously like this. “Of course you can still draw them Teddy, is that what you worried about? That you couldn’t put them in the picture?”

Teddy nodded slowly, his hair fading slightly to a dark pink.

Harry pulled him close and kissed the top of his head. “Remember we said that they will always be with you in here?” He asked, pointing to Teddy’s heart. Teddy nodded again. “They will still always be your family Teddy and we’ll make sure to put them on your tree.”

“Good.” Teddy said his hair bright pink once more as his mood lifted. “Cos my tree would be too empty with just me and Granny on it.”

“Hey!” Harry said, poking him playfully in his side. “What about me?”

Teddy frowned at him. “Miss Violet said that Go- God-”

“Godparents?” Harry prompted and Teddy nodded. 

“That they don’t count cos they’re not probabbly re-related.” Teddy said, still frowning and trying to get the right words out.

“I think you mean properly related.” Harry said kindly trying to repress his annoyance at the stupid Miss Violet. 

“Well you know, Miss Violet isn’t always right.” He said carefully. “She is your teacher and you should still listen to her but you should just know that even teachers make mistakes sometimes. I’m sure she didn’t mean it and we can talk to Miss Nancy about it.” Harry made a mental note to himself to write a note to Miss Nancy, Teddy’s regular teacher in the journal later once he’d spoken to Dromeda. 

“You know, I have a big picture of a family tree on the wall of my house and on it me and you are connected by a really thin special branch because the magic recognises me as your legal guardian, your family.” He continued. 

It had been a really special day for him when he finally got a specialist in to restore the blackened pictures on the tapestry. At the same time, the witch had refreshed all the charms on the magic tapestry so it would be updated with the new family members. It was then that Harry’s own face had appeared on the tapestry, not something he had expected at all but he was connected by a thin golden branch to Sirius. A second later Teddy’s face appeared on the bottom of Tonk’s branch and Harry watched in awe as another thin golden branch wove itself into the tapestry connecting him to Teddy.

“Really?” Teddy asked, his now bright blue eyes wide in wonder and his hair turned a truly magical gold that sparkled in the light. 

“Yes.” Harry said smiling.

“Can I see it?” Teddy asked.

Harry thought for a moment, he didn’t think Draco would mind if Teddy came round for a short time if Harry could give him plenty of warning and he could just lock himself in his potions lab for a while.

“I’ll have to ask your Granny and see what she says but you might be able to come to my house next week.” He said slowly. “You have just over a week to do your homework anyway so either way I can work on it with you when I pick you up next Wednesday if you like?”

Teddy nodded enthusiastically. “Yeah we do it next week!” He said happily. “Now can I play?”

Harry chuckled as Teddy’s hair turned the bright blue it always did when he wanted to play. “Yes Teddy you can go play.”

Teddy played until Dromeda came home and was in such a happy mood that she didn’t question anything and he didn’t tell her anything but Harry told her quietly that he needed to talk to her after dinner once Teddy had gone to bed.

It was during dinner that Teddy said something Harry did not expect.

“Granny?” The seven year old questioned. 

“Yes Teddy.” She replied.

“What does boy fwiend mean?” He said seriously, his hair turning an inquisitive yellow colour.

Harry choked on the sip of water he’d just taken and Dromeda gave him a curious but amused look.

“It’s boyfriend Teddy, with a ‘r’, remember we talked about ‘r’ and ‘w’ sounds?” Dromeda said gently. “Anyway, why do you ask?”

Harry was already dreading the answer, he really thought Teddy was too preoccupied to notice and had thought that he wasn’t listening but-

“Uncle Harry told Miss Violet that his boy-fr-iend-” Teddy said, concentrating hard on the word to get it right. “- wouldn’t like it.”

“Did he now?” Dromeda said looking at Harry with a raised eyebrow.

Harry flushed. “Dromeda I would have told you but it’s crazy new, like yesterday new and we’re not really telling anyone yet. I shouldn’t have said anything but…”

“But Miss Violet was flirting with you like she always does so you wanted to set her straight?” She asked with a smile.

“Something like that.” Harry mumbled.

“I’m pleased for you Harry, really pleased.” She said laying a motherly hand on his shoulder. “I’ll do you the courtesy of pretending I don’t know for now though until you’re more established in your relationship and you're ready to tell people.” She said kindly.

“Thanks that would be great.” Harry said relieved. 

He knew Dromeda would do as she said, she wasn’t as overbearingly motherly as Molly could be. He wondered what Dromeda would say eventually when he could tell her that it was her nephew he was dating and living with. He knew that would be a long time away though. Draco wasn’t ready for that and Harry wouldn’t push him but he hoped he could introduce Draco to his family in time. He wanted Draco to be part of his life properly, in every way but that didn’t really qualify as ‘taking things slow’ he supposed. Really it was nice that Dromeda and Teddy could be family to both of them, if they would be open to accepting one another… and if they could deal with Lucius once and for all so that Draco wouldn’t have to hide.

Suddenly Teddy started getting cross as he thought he was being ignored and his hair was turning red slowly. Harry knew from past experience that it would be a bad thing if they left it until his whole head of hair was an angry shade of red.

“Sorry Teddy, we weren’t ignoring you.” Harry said quickly and relaxed as Teddy’s hair turned back to yellow.

“Remember how I told you that some adults like me like men and some like... Uncle Bill like women-” He started slowly.

“-and some like Uncle Fred like both!” Teddy said happy that he knew something.

“Yes Teddy, some like both and some people like neither and that’s OK too.” Harry said amused at his little Godson. “Well anyway a boyfriend is like a boy who is like… more than just your friend that you want to go on dates with and kiss and be with all time... For me at least, it means that I like this particular man and we think we can make each other happy so we don’t want to go on a date with anyone else… does that make sense?”

Harry screwed his face up in confusion, he really wasn’t sure if he was explaining this very well at all but Dromeda was giving him an encouraging look and fortunately Teddy seemed to understand. He was a bright kid.

“Like Auntie Ginny and Ollie?” Teddy asked. “She told me that Ollie was her boyfriend but I didn’t know what that meant but then I saw them kissing! Victoire saw it too, it was funny!”

“Yes Teddy, Ollie is Auntie Ginny’s boyfriend that’s right.” Harry said relieved, hoping that this would be the end of the discussion.

It seemed like it was as Teddy apparead satisfied with Harry’s answer and said no more about it. Thankfully neither did Dromeda.

After dinner Dromeda cleared up whilst Harry bathed Teddy and put him to bed reading him a story like he always did. Then Harry left Teddy drifting off to sleep and went down to talk to Dromeda.

He gave her the full story of what Miss Violet had said and then explained the homework. He went over what he had told Teddy and she told him that he’d done a great job. She was always encouraging to Harry and he was grateful and how much trust she put in him to be like a parent to Teddy. She agreed that it would be brilliant for him to see the tapestry so Harry said he’d taken him straight to Grimmauld from school next week but that they would return here for dinner.

“Do you… do you ever think about, erm, about Narcissa and Draco?” He asked Dromeda cautiously, it wasn’t something they’d talked about before.

“Why do you ask?” She said curiously but she didn’t seem upset.

“I just, erm, I wanted to know what to say to Teddy if they asked who they were on the tapestry.” He said carefully. It was the truth but he also had another reason for asking.

Dromeda sighed. “Yes, truthfully I do think about them from time to time. It’s strange and a bit sad to think that I do have family out there who I don’t speak to.” She seemed quiet for a moment before she spoke again. “I wrote to Narcissa you know, after the war.”

Harry was genuinely surprised. “No, I didn’t know…. What did you say?”

“Well, I was just looking for family I suppose. I was lonely here with Teddy, after losing Ted and Dora and I thought the war taught us to be grateful for what we have… I thought it might be time to- to reconnect and I- I wanted family for Teddy… I thought it might be nice to him to grow up with an Aunt and a cousin of sorts.” She said softly as if she was speaking from far away. “Of course, that was before the Weasleys kindly brought us into their big loving family but still… would have been nice. I suppose you can tell Teddy that they are family but that some families don’t see each other and that family is also who we choose, like the Weasleys. You always explain things well to him Harry and we’ve always been honest with him.”

Harry nodded. It was what he expected her to say. It was always hard having these discussions with Teddy but it always helped Teddy to know that Harry had lost his parents too and he did have an Aunt and a cousin alive that he never saw anymore so he would figure out the right words. 

“Did you ever get a reply from Narcissa?” He asked.

Dromeda shook her head slowly but then thought better of it. “There was no letter at all but… but about two months later, when I’d all but forgotten about it, a beautiful eagle owl arrived while I was sitting in the garden and dropped a single Narcissus flower into my lap. The owl flew off again straight away and I didn’t know what to make of it… I wondered if it had been from her. Maybe her way of saying she’d received it but…”

“I bet it was.” Harry said slowly, he wasn’t sure how much he should say. “Maybe she… maybe she wanted to reply but couldn’t.” He suggested tentatively.

“Yes I thought so too.” She said quietly. “I gather Lucius is not a nice man and I expect he is quite controlling.”

“I believe he can be yes.” Harry said not wanting to betray Draco’s trust but wanting to potentially encourage any possible communication between Dromeda and Draco in the future. There was hope there if Dromeda wanted to meet him once then he expected she would still.

This wasn’t the moment to press the matter further though. After some more general chit chat he made his excuses to leave. After all he had a hot man to get back to, he thought happily to himself.

*~*

“Honey, I’m home” Harry called out happily as he stepped through his front door .

A very unimpressed Draco came into view from the door of the lounge. “Don’t ever call me that again” he said with his arms folded across his chest and his eyebrow raised. “and you’re late.”

“Sorry, I’ve just always wanted to say that” Harry said chuckling to himself. “And I’m hardly late, it’s ten past nine and I said I’d be home around nine.”

“Well from now on we’ll be using exact times, none of this vague terminology, I can’t abide that.” Draco said screwing his nose up in a really cute way. Well, Harry found it cute anyway even though it wasn’t what Draco had been going for.

“So that’s how it’s going to be around here then is it?” Harry asked in mock annoyance. “You just dictating where I’m going to be and when and me just showing up precisely on time?”

“Yes.” Draco insisted.

Harry chuckled. “Fine, I’ll let you wear the trousers in this relationship if it will keep you happy.” Harry said, rolling his eyes.

“Well I think I’d be happier if neither of us ever wore trousers.” Draco said flirtatiously taking a step forward to Harry, his apparent annoyance vanished.

Harry laughed properly at that. “You know, I used to hate coming home before, it always felt so empty and quiet compared to wherever I’d been before but now wherever I am I always just think about how I can’t wait to come home.” He took a step towards Draco as he said this and slid his hands up over the taller man's shoulders, then interlocked his fingers behind Draco’s slender neck. 

“Home to you.” He finished quietly as Draco wrapped his arms around Harry’s wait and their faces were inches away.

“That is the most Hufflepuff thing I’ve ever heard, Harry.” Draco said disapprovingly, yet he still leaned in to kiss him.

Then Draco turned his head slightly so he could whisper into Harry’s ear. “Do you know how much I wanted you earlier when we were in your study?”

Before Harry could answer Draco had turned them both and backed Harry up against the nearest wall pressing himself into Harry so that Harry could feel exactly how much Draco wanted him.

“You missed me too then I take it?” Harry muttered findly.

“Yes Harry I missed you.” Draco said quietly before kissing him again passionately and grinding his hips into Harry’s holding him firmly at the sides.

Harry mumbled an incoherent response, his jeans beginning to feel tight as his body responded to Draco’s movements. Then suddenly the warmth of Draco’s body was gone. He opened his eyes, not releasing that he’s closed them at some point, to see Draco walking up the stairs giving Harry a perfect view of his arse in his luxurious silk pajama trousers that Harry was becoming so fond of.

“You coming Potter?” The voice from halfway up the stairs called and Harry hurried along behind him not knowing exactly what Draco had in store but very much wanting to find out. 

This definitely hadn’t been what he expected though as he walked up the stairs he began to feel very nervous. What exactly did Draco want? Were they going to have sex, like, right now? It was too soon for that wasn't it? But then it was too soon for all of this, it was too soon for them to be calling each other ‘boyfriend’ but they were and boyfriends had sex with each other so maybe that was what Draco was expecting.

It wasn’t that Harry didn’t want to, of course he did, but now when faced with it as they continued up the long staircase, he was beginning to get a bit freaked out. He hadn’t had to please someone new like this in years. The first time with Fred they’d been drunk so he hadn’t really had to think about it. Really all the sex Harry had before then he’d been drunk for too, he could very much use a bottle of whiskey right now…

Before Fred Harry had no idea really if he’d been good at sex at all, certainly no one ever complained but they hadn’t exactly given him a verbal appraisal either. Fred had always been honest with him about what he liked and what Harry could do to make him feel good and Harry had learnt every inch of Fred’s body and how to make him respond in different ways. Draco was a whole different person and was bound to like different things in different ways. Harry wanted it to be perfect for him but how would he know what to do?

Clearly by the time they reached the top floor landing Harry had clearly been overthinking this. Why were their bedrooms on the top floor again? Why did he have an anti-disapparition jinx on his house? Maybe he should reconsider that...

His concerns must have been written all over as his face as when Draco turned to face him, his flirty face had become a frowned one very quickly.

“Harry what’s wrong?” Draco asked him worriedly. “Do you not want this?”

“No I do.” Harry said quickly. “I was just over thinking things like an idiot. I’m not sure exactly what you had in mind… I just- I just want to make it good for you.”

Harry flushed feeling like an utter moron. Why couldn’t he just be cool and go with the flow?

Draco smiled slightly and stepped towards him. “Harry, I'm pretty confident I would enjoy anything you did.” He said seductively but then turned slightly more serious. “But you can relax, I did mean it when I said I wanted to take things slow, not crazy slow, I want to be with you but I just don’t want to rush anything. This is all new to me and I want us to enjoy every step.” 

It was Draco’s turn to flush slightly this time and look a little embarrassed which was not an expression Harry saw on him that often. “I didn’t mean that to sound as cheesy as it did.” He cringed at himself and then sighed. “I had this plan and now it’s all going wrong.” He said quietly looking down at the floor.

Harry laughed slightly and immediately felt better. Somehow it was comforting to him to realise that Draco was just as nervous as he was about everything. He closed the gap and tucked himself into Draco’s stance, their bodies fitting together perfectly.

“Will you stop being such a drama queen?” He said affectionately as Draco rested his head on Harry’s shoulder. “Nothing is going wrong. Come on, what did you have in mind? I’m yours, do whatever.”

“Hmm say that again.” Draco said as he lifted his head to look at Harry.

“I’m yours.” Harry said feeling confident that was the bit Draco wanted him to repeat.

“Yes you are.” Draco said clearly allowing his possessive side to put him back in the mood. “No one else gets to kiss you like I do.” He said as he then proceeded to kiss Harry. He broke away and his hands ran up Harry’s back under his long sleeved top like he had earlier that day. “No one else gets to touch you like I do.” He added softly.

“No they don’t.” Harry agreed as they stood on the landing.

Then Draco broke away again and looked at Harry slightly nervously and slightly mischievously. It was an odd combination. “Will you humour me with something?” He asked.

“Sure.” Harry said slightly surprised. “What is it?”

“I want you to go put on that white sleeveless top you were wearing when you came back from your run that time and your black shorts.” Draco said, biting his lip slightly. “Do you remember, when I came out of the bathroom and saw you standing here?”

“I remember.” Harry said quietly. He also remembered what was going on in his head when he saw the look Draco gave him and how he had also imagined what Draco had just looked like in the shower. 

“Go get changed then.” Draco said commandingly. “I’m giving you precisely two minutes.”

Harry shook his head in amusement. This is definitely not where he thought this was going but he would give his little prince anything he wanted. He returned a couple of minutes later wearing the, now clean, outfit Draco had requested.

Draco gave him a satisfied look and then came over to him and practically marched him to the top of the stairs. “There, you were standing there.” He said more to himself than anyone else. 

He looked at Harry’s torso again with a little twinkle in his eye. Then he whipped his wand out from it’s holster, stepped forward and held it at Harry’s chest, the tip prodding him slightly in his ribs.

“Draco what-” Harry started to say but stopped himself when he felt his chest suddenly wet with water. He looked down at the white top that was now clinging to his abs baffled but amused nonetheless.

When he looked back up again, Draco had taken a step back, wand away and was looking very hungrily at Harry’s upper body. “Hmm that’s much better.” He said happily.

“You are ridiculous.” Harry said, shaking his head fondly.

“I want to show you exactly what I wanted to do to you when I saw that morning but managed to stop himself from doing.” Draco said from where he now stood by the bathroom door. His voice was low and it sent shivers down Harry’s spine that had nothing to do with the fact he was now wet.

Then Draco was stalking him like prey, walking towards him with a hungry look in his eye that made Harry forget to breathe. As he got close to Harry he lightly trailed his fingers up Harry’s bare right arm pausing over the two faint puncture wounds. 

“I noticed these then.” He said in barely more than a whisper. 

“Nagini.” Harry said simply.

Draco nodded slowly as if unsurprised by this but looked slightly sad. Then he raised Harry’s arm to his lips and kissed softly over the marks. Then his kisses grew fiercer as he kissed his way up Harry’s muscular as if he was marking his territory. 

His trail of kisses went across Harry’s right shoulder and then up the side of his neck as he breathed heavily into Harry. He kisses across his stubbly jaw just barely stopping at his mouth before working his way to Harry’s left shoulder and repeating his assault on Harry’s skin down his left arm. 

As Draco reached Harry’s left hand he became slightly gentler again as his lips came into contact with the rough scarring there. Then he flipped Harry’s hand over and caught his thumb in his mouth sucking it seductively whilst looking into Harry’s eyes. He trapped the tip of Harry’s thumb in his teeth nipping at it slightly and then when he let go of it Harry trailed his thumb over Draco’s bottom lip as Draco stared into his eyes.

“Merlin, Draco, do you have any idea what you do to me?” Harry croaked, his voice dry and husky. 

He was achingly hard, the most aroused he’d felt in a very long time, possibly ever, which was crazy seeing as all Draco had done was kiss his arms. But he hadn’t just kissed his arms though, thought Harry, that didn’t do it justice. What Draco was doing to him was nothing that anyone else had ever done yet now it was everything to Harry.

Draco didn’t reply but he tried to stop showing how big his grin was by biting his lip and Harry could see the twinkle in his eye as he clutched the base of his top. He pulled it up off Harry agonisingly slowly as the wet material peeled off Harry’s skin. When it was finally off Draco tossed it to the side but in the direction of his own bedroom, not Harry’s. “I’m keeping that.” He said firmly and Harry couldn’t find it in him to disagree, not when Draco was looking at his now naked chest in the way he was.

“Salazar Harry, you are fit.” Draco said in his low quiet sexy voice. He stepped back so he could take a good look and appreciate Harry properly and Harry, rather than feeling self conscious like he thought he might, was just basking in Draco’s appreciation. 

“Do you have any idea how long I’ve wanted to see what you’ve been hiding under your clothes Harry?” Draco said quietly.

Harry was slightly confused at this, surely it had only been a matter of weeks but then again he supposed in some ways it had felt like a lifetime. 

It seemed to just be a rhetorical question though as Draco wasn’t waiting for an answer. He stepped closer to Harry again and ran his hands all over Harry’s upper body slowly touching everywear and looking at him like he was trying to memorise every detail. He stopped over the oval shaped scar in the centre of Harry’s upper chest and then trailed upwards at the very faint chain marks that were detached into his skin above it.

“Locket.” Harry answered Daraco’s unanswered question softly. “Guess you could say it was cursed. I’ll tell you about it when we get there.”

Draco said nothing but he leaned forward and pressed one long gentle kiss on the centre of the scar. Then, as before, he started kissing all over Harry’s skin with more and more ferocity. Suddenly there was an urgency to his movements once more and Draco was touching everywhere on Harry’s torso all at once with hands and lips. It was amazing but Harry needed more.

“Draco…” He called out like a prayer running his hands through Draco’s hair.

Thankfully Draco seemed to understand him was his prayer as answered and Draco was pushing him towards his bedroom. Harry stuck his right hand out behind him and opened the door magically with Draco still kissing him passionately. When they got there, Draco pushed him down towards the bed and pressed him into his mattress, effortlessly climbing on top of him and never breaking their kiss.

Harry though had other ideas and he flipped them in one strong movement so that Draco was on his back and Harry was on top of him. Draco seemed surprised but not in the least bit disappointed by this sudden change in position. Harry straddled him pressing his hips down into Draco’s, then he grabbed either side of Draco’s pajama top and pulled the two halves apart not wanting to bother with any of the buttons down the front. 

The silk shirt ripped open and buttons flew everywhere. Draco looked like he was about to make a comment but then thought better of it as he sensed Harry pause and tense up slightly. There was a moment of silence and all the frantic moments of before were gone. 

Instead Harry slowly reached out his hand and ever so gently trailed his fingers across the white lines etched across Draco’s chest. Draco’s skin was pale anyway so they didn’t stand out too much but they were definitely noticeable. They weren’t raised or ugly though, they were thin, delicate and smooth to touch, so smooth that they almost looked shiny in the light like strings of white gold.

“Harry…” Draco began gently. “Harry, it’s fine, remember, we discussed it and I’m fine I forgive you.” 

Harry said nothing but he nodded slowly.

“For what it’s worth I actually really don’t mind them.” Draco started again softly. “In a way they are actually kind of-”

“-beautiful.” Harry whispered. He didn’t know if it was twisted of him to say that, given the nature of how they got there but it was true somehow.

“Well, yes.” Draco replied and he cupped the side of Harry’s face moving it gently so they could look into each other’s eyes once more. “And I like how it was you who put them there… I know it’s weird but I do.”

Harry said nothing but he felt oddly at peace with the scars he’d left on Draco’s body feeling now the full forgiveness Draco had assured him of but he hadn't believed before. He leaned down over Draco’s body and copied his movements from earlier trailing light kisses over Draco’s scars until his kisses were growing more and more passionate and their shared intensity from earlier resumed.

He started grinding into Draco, the thin fabric of Draco’s trousers leaving nothing to the imagination through Harry’s sports shorts that he’d put on after removing both his jeans and hos boxers. He shifted his weight over on his left side slightly just next to Draco’s body on the bed so his right hand was free. Then he placed his hand on Draco’s chest sliding it all the way down in what he hoped was a seductive manner whilst kissing Draco full on the mouth. He paused at the waistband of Draco’s trousers, Draco jerked his hips in encouragement to Harry all the while never breaking their kiss. 

Harry palmed Draco’s cock over the top of the silk at first but it wasn’t enough for either of them so he tentatively slipped his hand underneath the material and gripped it properly for the first time. Harry was grinding his own shamelessly against Draco’s thigh as he continued to kiss and caress the man bringing his hand up and down Draco’s hard length in the way that he liked himself hoping it would be what Draco wanted. The blonde beneath him definitely responded well to it though as he moaned incoherently with pleasure into Harry as they kissed.

Draco’s hands found their way onto Harry’s arse and as he further encouraged Harry to grind against him. It wasn’t long before Harry’s hand became coated in Draco’s release as Draco threw his head back finally breaking their kiss and Harry could feel his body relax happily beneath him. Without even bothering to clean his hand, Harry unabashedly placed it on top of his own cock beneath his shorts and quickly brought about his orgasm to follow Draco.

As the post-orgasm bliss faded Harry rolled over onto his back besides Draco and they lay there happily for a moment in satisfied peace. After a few minutes Draco wordlessly drew his wand again and cleaned them both up.

“That was...” He started but he seemed unable to find the right words.

For once Harry was not insecure though, he’d seen the way Draco reacted to his movements and his little satisfied noises were incredible. Harry thought he’d do anything to hear Draco like that agin. “Yeah it was...” he agreed happily.

Then Draco propped himself on his side and leaned over to look at Harry. He seemed weirdly nervous again in a very endearing way.

“What did you think of my plan to show you what I wanted to do to you then?” He said coyly.

Harry laughed. “It was a very good plan. I liked it a lot.”

“How would you have responded then? If I’d done that?” He asked, now with an air of smugness.

“Probably in exactly the same way.” Harry chuckled.

Draco smiled but then turned slightly more serious again. “Was it different… you know, in a way, to anything you’ve ever done... with someone else?”

“Yes.” Harry said simply, then added for the sake of clarity, “in the best possible way.”

“Good.” Draco said quietly as he laid happily back down on his back again seemingly pleased with himself.

Harry thought for a moment before he sat up slowly against the bedhead and looked down at his lover. “Draco you do realise that you can never be just like anyone else to me. You don’t need to worry about that… about competing or anything.”

Draco sat up too mirroring Harry’s position and he was smiling happily. “I still can’t believe you’ve never had a boyfriend. Are you sure there aren’t any jealous ex-lovers out there that I should be aware of?” He said jokingly.

Harry paused for a moment, it was really nothing but he wanted to be as open and as honest with Draco as he could be. That was what they’d agreed upon after all.

“I did have an… arrangement with someone.” He started slowly as Draco turned to look at him seriously. “We definitely weren’t officially together or anything like that, it was more of a friends with benefits situation but I just thought you should be aware of it.”

Draco thought for a moment but didn’t seem too bothered by it. “OK, well I suppose that makes sense. You have needs after all and you already said how you didn’t like going on dates so if you found someone comfortable like that in an arrangement that benefitted both of you I can see that working and I’m not judging. I guess I kind of expected something like that”

“Good, thank you.” Harry said quietly, feeling relieved.

“But this… arrangement is over now?” Draco asked carefully.

Harry whipped round to look at him. “Of course Draco, I would never have started this with you otherwise, I mean I could have done because we were never exclusive, but that’s not me, I wouldn’t have done that. I ended things with him just over a month ago.”

“So that’s where you were staying before… with him?” Draco said thoughtfully again although he still didn’t seem to mind.

“Yeah.” Harry confirmed.

Draco seemed to be curious about a few things, thinking it over in his head. “Why did you end it?” 

“We always agreed that we weren’t right for each other, long term and I was supposed to be using the time to find someone who was but I never pushed myself to look for them… like I said I was just coasting along really.” Harry started explaining. “But things started coming together for me when I quit my job and when I decided to write the book. For the first time in a long time I was thinking again about what would actually make me happy and I knew that wasn’t it and I was never going to find it if I stayed with him.”

He considered for a moment, Draco just waiting for him to carry on. “Daphne actually helped me see it to be honest even though I barely knew her.”

Draco smiled softly to himself. “Yes she has a habit of doing things like that. I knew she was more aware of your situation than she let on.”

“Well I’m glad I met her.” Harry said firmly. “And I’m really glad you came back into my life again when you did. I think if it had been a year or even six months ago this might not have happened for us but now… things just seem to be lining up well I guess.”

“Yes, they do rather.” Draco agreed. “So this friend… how close a friend are we talking?”

This was where Harry squirmed slightly. “Erm, pretty close.” He admitted. “But you honestly have nothing to worry about there, please don’t feel threatened or anything, don’t let that ruin this. It’s completely over, he knows that and he’s fine with it, we really are just friends and he just wants me to be happy.”

“Do I know him?” Draco said, frowning again.

When Harry didn’t answer Draco prompted him with a slightly warning tone. “Harry…?”

Harry sighed knowing he couldn’t lie to Draco and he’d just have to get it over with. 

“It’s Fred.” He admitted quietly.

Draco responded instantly.

“WHAT?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So who liked Draco's plan?!
> 
> Was it weird?! Haha I just wanted to write the 'sex scenes' a bit differently to what I've seen and use them to add funny little couply moments in.


	26. Draco: Wednesday 19th October-Friday 21st October

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We see Draco's full reaction to Harry's news about Fred here and then their relationship progresses in little ways both physically and emotionally over the next couple of days.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know this should have been posted last night sorry...  
> Work got in the way but that it's picking back up again for me.
> 
> A little bit more Blaise and Daphne here!  
> I promise George and Fred will be back too but Draco might need a little bit more time before he can look Fred in the eye!  
> Poor Fred... how is he coping I wonder and will he find happiness?

Draco was thinking.

He pulled out his wand and quickly repaired his pajama shirt, buttons magically sewing themselves back on and doing up so he felt less exposed.

“Draco…?” 

He thought he heard Harry distantly speaking but right now he just needed to think. Fred. Fred Weasley. Fred Weasley and Harry. Was he OK with that?

There was part of his brain screaming no, he absolutely was not OK with that. Fred was still part of Harry’s life, hell he is part of Draco’s life too they were supposed to be working on some new products together… Surely now every time he’d see Fred he’d think ‘you slept with my boyfriend’ and that was not something the possessive side of him was happy about.

The insecure part of him was also worried that he’d done a foolish thing rushing into this relationship when he already suspected Harry had been with someone just over a month ago. The last thing he wanted was to be Harry’s rebound guy… but then Harry had ended things with Fred not the other way round right? But what if Harry did have feelings for Fred? Was it really just sex?

“Draco… please say something.” Harry’s voice came through his thoughts louder from beside him.

They were still sitting up on top of Draco’s bed after the rather rushed but still damn good handjob that Harry had given him. He’d been too caught up in the feelings to pay much attention to Harry which he felt a bit bad about but he gathered Harry had sorted himself out. Draco has always been a selfish lover and he’d never cared to rectify it before but with Harry he knew he’d have to make more of an effort in the future.

His mind was wandering again… It didn’t help that when he did look back over at Harry he was still topless. Fuck, he looked good.

“Put a damn top on I can’t think with you next to me like that.” Draco snapped playfully.

Harry smiled slightly and summoned a top from Draco’s wardrobe which happened to be the black t-shirt that he usually brewed in, it was the only short sleeved top he owned. Harry sniffed it happily and then squeezed it over his head and arms. It was very fitted on him which didn’t entirely help Draco’s mind focus on what it should be focused on.

Draco frowned at him. “That’s mine, you’ll stretch it with your big muscles.” He moaned

“I’ll buy you a new one.” Harry said chuckling, then he hesitated. “I’ll buy you a hundred new tops if you just tell me that you’re not freaking out about Fred.”

Draco sighed. “I’m not freaking out… I’m not going to lie, I don’t like the idea that you were together but I’m not freaking out.”

“Ok.” Harry said slowly. “Well… I need you to know that he’s still always going to be a part of my life, he’s one of my best friends and I can’t lose him so if that’s going to be a problem for you then I guess we need to talk about that and work out a way to deal with it as I can’t lose you either.”

“You think I’m going to scare that easy?” Draco asked with a raised eyebrow.

“I hope not.” Harry said quietly.

Draco reached out his hand and found Harry’s with it just wanting some kind of contact between them. He never usually sought out physical touch but Harry seemed to need it for reassurance and he was starting to see why. Harry’s touch was now just as much of a comfort to him and he was beginning to wonder how he ever managed a serious conversation without it in the past. 

“If I was going to run at the first sign of trouble I’d have been long gone by now Harry.” Draco said seriously but Harry chuckled nonetheless.

“I suppose that’s true.” He answered back. “So you’re ok with it?”

“Well I’ll have to be.” Draco said simply. “I’m not going to be the one to tell you he can’t be in our lives, that wouldn’t be fair to anyone. I know how important the Weasleys are to you plus he’s ingrained in my life now too. His twin is dating one of my best friends and I have a contract with him now to formulate the potions for their new product range… It would be too messy for too many people and I genuinely do like the guy… But I need some… clarifications.”

“What do you want to know?” Harry asked.

“What were the details of this… arrangement exactly?” He asked, still slightly holding Harry’s hand but not looking at him. “And did anyone else know about it? Apart from George of course who I’m assuming did.”

Out of the corner of his eye Draco could see Harry running his other hand through his messy mop of black hair. “Yeh George knew. We did kind of… act like a couple I guess around the flat I’m going to lie to you. At times I even tricked myself into thinking it was like a real relationship and I was happy with it but it definitely wasn’t. We never acted like a couple outside the flat, although Bill and Charlie did start to suspect something so we told them and Ron and Hermione knew too but they were never really that happy about it. It wasn’t something we ever discussed out loud. I think Ginny probably knew too, I have no idea about Arthur but Molly definitely didn’t know. We didn’t want her finding out about it because she would have tried hard to get us together properly and that just wasn’t going to happen.”

“Fred still slept with other people which was fine, I didn’t but I could have done. He’d always tell me when he was going out but he never brought anyone else back to the flat. He always went to theirs so he said that I was still always welcome at the flat anytime I liked. It has kind of been like my home there really.” Harry continued. “It was just friendship with a physical side to it. I would cook for him a fair bit but mostly George was there too unless he was on a date. It was pretty much always the three of us hanging out together, Fred and I never had like dates just the two of us or did anything romantic at all.”

“How long?” Draco said simply not really sure if he wanted to know but he would always wonder if he didn’t and he liked having the facts.

Harry paused slightly which worried him. “Just over three years.” He said quietly.

“Three years? Merlin Harry that’s… that’s a long time… and it’s only just ended recently.” Draco said flatly, still processing it. “So… a lot has changed for you in the past six weeks and this... this is all new too, are you sure it’s not too quick?”

“Well yeah it is fast but a lot has changed in your life too… it is a bit of a whirlwind but I needed something to come in and disrupt my mundane life in the best possible way and you did that. You’re what I’ve been waiting for.” Harry said so sincerely that it made Draco smile inwardly. “You asking me if I’m really over him or something?” he added, frowning slightly.

“Yes I suppose that’s what I’m asking.” Draco clarified.

“It was… and adjustment but mostly just in a physical way not an emotional way.” Harry started explaining. “I have always loved Fred but just in the way you love Blaise I suppose, it was never a romantic love and it never could be between us, we both knew that. I thought, maybe once, that I could fall in love with him in time but he was adamant that we weren’t suited to each other in that way and I realised that he was right. Fred was good to me as a friend but in the same way that George was- is rather. They both are just so non-judgemental which is where they differ from Ron and Hermione and they really cheer me up but that’s just their friendship and I still have that.”

“I can see all of that. In some ways Fred reminds me a bit of Blaise and Blaise did offer something similar to me once.” Draco said slowly.

“He did?” Harry asked. “But you didn’t… want that?”

Draco shook his head. “No, I knew Blaise would have no problem keeping it casual and having the sex not affect our friendship but I was worried that it would for me. For me, sex has always just been sex and I’ve deliberately kept it seperate from feelings. I had a couple of lovers in France that I would see on and off for a few months but it was literally just meeting up for a casual shag and I had very firm boundaries in place with them. Physical touch is still something that I sometimes struggle with. I like my personal space and even when people hug me it feels like an invasion sometimes.”

“Yeah I saw your face when the twins hugged you.” Harry said, chuckling slightly.

“Yes that was a horrendous experience.” Draco said entirely serious.

Harry turned serious slightly. “But the physical touch thing… doesn’t seem to be an issue for you with me?”

Draco smiled as he looked down at their intertwined hands. “No, it doesn’t. I’m not sure why but you’ve always been the exception to my rules Potter.” Then he felt his chest tighten ever so slightly. “It- it might crop up though, on occasion, as we… progress. Just something to be aware of.”

Harry nodded his head in serious contemplation. “OK, then well... I’m quite a physical person I guess, that’s why I needed Fred. He gave me something that no one else could in a way that I was comfortable with… until now, until you. I can’t seem to keep my hands off you so if it gets too much then just tell OK?” He ended with a slight smile.

“I will.” Draco said seriously but then he leaned over and snuggled into Harry. “But unless I do you can assume it’s safe as I happen to like you touching me.”

Harry put his arm around him and pulled him close.

Draco was thinking of the other thing that was still on his mind. “Do you miss him at night?” He said quietly to Harry.

Harry sighed loudly but when he spoke it was in a really quiet voice. “Yes… it’s the only time I miss him really.”

Really, Draco was in two minds about the question on the tip of his tongue but he found himself saying it anyway. The importance of being what Harry wanted, what he needed outweighed his own personal concerns. For once is his life he wasn’t being selfish.

“Would it help if you slept here… with me?” He asked quietly.

The look that came his way from Harry was half surprised, half hopeful. “Well… I mean yeah, it probably would and I’d be lying if I said the thought hadn't crossed my mind but are you sure? I don’t want to push you too much too soon if you’d rather not that’s fine.”

“You seemed like you slept really well last night.” Draco said simply.

“It was the best night’s sleep I’ve had in weeks.” Harry admitted. “But did you sleep?”

Draco sighed inwardly but he didn’t let his slight discomfort show. “I wasn’t trying to sleep. I wanted to stay awake to make sure you slept, you needed it more. Plus I wanted the time to think. Let’s give it a go though, you staying here tonight and see how we both sleep. Just…”

“Just?” Harry prompted with a slight smile.

“Just stick to your side.” Draco said playfully but with a serious undertone. “I can’t sleep plastered to your side like I was last night. I need my space.”

“Last night was a bit of an exception.” Harry said, smiling properly now. “I’ll stick to my side I promise.”

“Yes, well you’d better or you’re out.” 

*~*

Turned out it wasn’t nearly as bad as Draco expected. He was worried that his pre-bed meditation would be affected with Harry in the same room, and it had been really, but then it hadn’t seemed to matter as he slept well anyway. Maybe the meditation wasn’t really needed now that he was actually happy... that would be something.

Having someone next to him at night would take some getting used to but Draco thought he could adjust to it pretty well. Harry had been through to his word, sleeping curled up in his side and Draco hardly took up the whole bed anyway as it was a big bed. The best thing about sleeping in bed with Harry was waking up next to him, that was definitely a welcome addition to his morning routine.

He left Harry dozing as he got up to shower and get dressed smartly for his customers but once he was ready Harry seemed awake enough and happy to potter down to the kitchen with him. They always had breakfast together, it was a nice way to start the day and now Draco thought having breakfast alone would feel weird and lonely. 

Nothing seemed amiss at all as they ate their toasted bagels and drank their coffee and having Harry kiss him goodbye as he left for work was nice. It was when he got into the back of the shop at precisely 8:50 that things got slightly more dramatic as he was immediately accosted by Daphne who arrived at the same time… with Blaise.

“You got something to tell us?” Was the first thing she said as Blaise just stood next to her sporting a massive, uncharacteristic grin.

Draco immediately panicked, they knew he was sure of it. It wasn’t the fact they knew that worried him, it was how they knew which made him fearful.

“How.. how do you know?” He asked carefully, eyes wide.

“So it’s true then?” Blaise countered his question with another question.

“Is what true?” Draco said, wanting to clarify exactly what they were talking about.

“Oh for goodness sake are we all just going to stand here and ask questions all day?” Daphne snapped. “The Prophet says that Harry is officially in an exclusive relationship and we wondered if that had anything to do with you?”

“What?” Draco said, quickly the panic rising. “How on earth would they know that? Merlin, we’ve been so careful, no one could have possibly seen us together.”

Daphne and Blaise did not look panicked at all, they just stood there smiling.

“So it really is you? Are you serious? Like boyfriends?” Blaise inquired jovially. 

Daphne on the other hand was a bit more sensible seeing the look on Draco’s face. “Relax darling they don’t mention your name at all.”

“Oh.” Draco said, immediately relaxing. “Well you could have led with that.” He said bitterly, annoyed with himself for worrying and being overly dramatic as usual.

“Damn it Draco, don’t leave me hanging, I came all this way especially. Is. It. True?” Blaise demanded.

“Yes because apparating here takes so much time away from your busy work schedule.” Draco muttered, rolling his eyes.

“I’m not going to ask again.” Blaise warned.

“Yes it’s true, alright? Harry and I are officially together.” Draco said happily. “I was going to tell you both tomorrow at dinner anyway if Harry said I could but I hadn’t specially asked him yet.”

“That’s very fast Draco.” Daphne said with a slight hint of concern. 

“We’ve known each other for longer than you and George have and you’re already labelling it I don’t see why we can’t.” Draco retorted defensively.

“Things are just a little… easier for George and I. We’re both in good places in our lives, we’re ready for this and we don’t have the same… history that you and Harry have. Plus we are still going slow, we don’t live together for starters. We just both wanted to know the other one was as serious about it as we each were and weren’t dating anyone else.” Daphne said carefully.

Draco frowned, this hadn’t been what the reaction he expected. “I thought you wanted us to be together? I thought you’d be happy.”

“I do, I think you’d make the perfect couple, you complement each other and can understand each other. I just thought it would be a slow process that you’d work up to and I wasn’t exactly sure either of you were quite ready for a proper relationship.” Daphne said in a slightly patronising sort of tone. 

“Daphne, you’re mothering me again, we talked about this.” Draco said, sighing.

“Yeah Daph, quit it.” Blaise said, nudging her. “Ignore her Dray, I for one am thrilled about this development and just came here to shake the hands of the man who officially took Harry Potter off the market. Half the world wants to hex you and the other half want to hug you so watch out but here, this will amuse you no doubt.” He said passing him the wizarding newspaper. “I’m off to tell stupid people where to put their money, see ya.” 

Draco called out to Blaise that ‘Dray’ wasn’t acceptable either and what was wrong with calling people by their full names just as he walked out the door. Then Daphne and Draco stood there ever so slightly awkwardly for a moment which was very unusual for them. After a short moment though she reached out and placed a tentative hand on his arm just lightly. 

“I’m sorry, you’re right.” She said gently. “If you’re sure this is what you want right now then I shouldn’t doubt you. I do think that he could make you happy Draco and that’s all I care about.”

“Thanks, I think he could too.” Draco said quietly. “And I think I could make him happy.”

“Of that I have no doubt.” Daphne said smiling. Then she went off silently to open up the shop.

Draco headed into his office to make himself look like Pierre but as he had some time before his first appointment so he positioned himself comfortably at his desk and looked at the front page. They seemed to have dragged up every photo of Harry standing next to any man over the past few years despite the fact that he wasn’t looking remotely loved up with any of them. He read the article.

Harry Potter, the world’s favourite hero, officially off the market! But who is the lucky man? Yes, you read that right, according to our exclusive source Harry Potter has got himself a boyfriend…

It went on to list every possible man in the known universe that could be the mystery boyfriend including Blaise of course which was still amusing. Fred was mentioned as a possible candidate which made Draco slightly annoyed but then they had listed Charlie Weasley too so they were clearly just naming single men known to associate with Harry. There was also a whole list of aurors it could be as ‘Mr Potter was seen bringing lunch for two to the auror department at the Ministry last week’. Given that Draco knew it had been his married straight best friend Harry had taken lunch to that day the thought was just laughable.

The suggestions were so ridiculous that Draco felt like a fool for worrying. Daphne was right, he wasn’t mentioned at all and really there was nothing factual in here at all which he shouldn’t be surprised about. The only thing they got right was that Harry had a boyfriend but there was no actual evidence to back up the claim other than ‘a source’ so it just read as the usual speculation. The timing did seem odd that was sure but Draco wasn’t phased by it. He tossed it aside and prepared himself for his first appointment.

*~*

It was nearly lunchtime and he was just looking over the new orders he’d just received during his morning appointments. He was still getting bespoke Hallows Eve presents and he had a few wedding gift baskets to do too as Halloween seemed to be a popular wedding day for the wizarding community for some reason. Still he wasn’t complaining as they were good money makers. The business was still doing well and Draco was thrilled. His reputation had really increased now so he might even be able to put his prices up. 

Then Daphne knocked on his office door and came in with her usual shopkeeper manner. “Your next appointment is here Monsieur Defoi.”

Draco frowned at her. He knew he didn’t have another appointment in the diary until after lunch and it was very unlike Daphne to make a mistake but he didn’t want to correct her when a potential customer could here. She left without allowing him to question it and then in walked a man who Draco instantly recognised and he smiled to himself.

“Bon-jaw Mon-sweur Dufoi,”

“Harry your french accent is appalling, don’t try that again.” Draco scolded.

Harry fortunately just laughed. “You say it.”

“Bonjour Monsieur Defoi” Draco said effortlessly in perfect french.

“Hmm, you should speak french more often.” Harry said approvingly. “It’s weird to see you as Pierre again.” He added looking at Draco strangely.

“Sorry, I would change back but I have another appointment straight after lunch and I was particularly pleased with my hair today.” Draco stated mildly arrogantly

“It’s OK, I can still see you underneath there.” Harry smiled fondly. “I even could the first time you know, just a little.”

Draco smiled too. “I thought, every now and then that you might have worked it out but then I didn’t think you’d trust me if you knew who I really was… but you did.”

“I knew there was something about you that Fred and George weren’t telling me and when the article about you Daphne came out they called you ‘Draco’ which seemed weirdly friendly so I kind of worked it out but I knew that they trusted you and I trust their opinion so....” Harry said, shrugging as he stepped into the room further and closed the door behind him.

It was weird for Draco to think back on the time when he first started working with Fred and George now knowing that Harry was sort of living with Fred at the time.

“Not that I’m not pleased to see you but what are you doing here?” Draco asked.

“Oh right, yeah.” Harry said, taking the unoccupied seat at Draco’s desk. “I just came to see if you were OK, erm, I don’t know if you’ve seen the article…” He trailed off a bit awkwardly.

“Oh yes, I hear congratulations are in order. Should I expect an invitation to your wedding to Auror ‘what’s his name’ or is it Blaise afterall?” Draco said dryly from the seat opposite Harry.

“So you did see it then? Honestly, who writes that crap!… You don’t seem upset or anything though?” Harry was still looking slightly nervously at him.

“Why would I be upset? It didn’t mention me.” Draco said casually. “It was highly amusing and it works in my favour that the world knows you’re off the market.”

Harry chuckled slightly and looked relieved. “OK then good, I was worried that I’d messed up again as I seemed in the habit of doing.”

“Why? Did you have something to do with this article?” Draco said frowning ever so slightly. He was more intrigued than cross. He knew Harry understood how seriously he took his privacy and wouldn’t do anything to jeopardise that but he still wanted to make sure he wasn’t shooting his mouth too off much. Harry had a habit of revealing too much when he let his emotions get the better of him.

Just as Draco suspected he would, Harry got slightly nervous again. “Erm, well yeah… you could say that. I know who their source was… I’m really sorry I didn’t mean to say anything but I just wanted to shut her up and it did work to be fair.”

“You want to start by telling me who ‘she’ is? Another witch who wanted to be the future Mrs. Potter I presume?” Draco said with slightly raised eyebrows. He knew it was selfish and stupid to think like this but secretly he was quite glad Harry wasn’t at all interested in woman. At least Draco wouldn’t have to worry about their advances. Not that he didn’t trust Harry, it was just hard to let his jealous side go sometimes.

“Something like that….” Harry mumbled in annoyance. Then he sat up straighter and told Draco the full story of Miss Violet. Draco hated her already, she sounded extremely annoying. “...anyway, it all kicked off after you left this morning.” Harry finished off.

“Kicked off how?” Draco prompted. Harry had an irritating habit of not giving the full information on the things he said or saying the details in the wrong order.

“I got a letter from Molly asking who my new boyfriend was for starters, that was my first clue.” Harry said, rolling his eyes. “So I’m going to have to deal with that on Sunday.”

“Oh.” Said Draco simply. He’d forgotten that Harry had people in his life who he couldn’t tell Draco about. It made him feel a bit guilty. It was easier for him as he only had Blaise and Daphne who knew everything anyway. “I’m sorry about that.”

“Don’t be, it's fine. I can deal with it and just say it’s very early days so we’re not telling anyone yet which is true really so technically I’m not lying…” Harry said kindly, although he didn’t seem convinced. 

Draco realised that Harry didn’t feel comfortable lying to his friends and family which was a good thing of course. He didn’t trust easily but so far Harry had told him the truth about Fred when he didn’t have to and he’d come to see him today to tell him the truth behind the article and make sure he was OK. Yes, Harry could definitely be trusted and Draco didn’t think he’d ever lie to him.

“Anyway,” Harry continued. “I asked Kreacher if there were any more letters, her, erm, well he kind of goes through my mail for me and only gives me the stuff he knows I want to read. It’s very useful. Turns out there were quite a few today. More than I’ve had for a long time actually but it was all just rubbish really. Half were saying they were happy for me etc. Half were saying that whoever ‘he’ was wouldn’t really make me happy and basically trying to convince me that I should go on a date with them and see, pathetic really… but yeah I knew there must have been an article in the paper.”

“I had wondered if you still got fan mail as I never saw any.” Draco thought out loud. “Kreacher is really a saint for putting up with you.”

“Yeah alright, I know, I do thank him.” Harry said, screwing his face up comically. “I contacted the school though, I already wasn’t happy about Miss Violet telling Teddy that I wasn’t allowed on his family tree and now she’s gone to the press about something I said in a private conversation when she shouldn’t have been using Teddy’s homework as an excuse to ask me out anyway.”

Draco snorted slightly in amusement. “I bet they bent over backwards for you. Has she been fired?”

Harry frowned at that. “No they don’t, they’re very good actually, partly why I like the school so much, not that I’ve had as much involvement there as I should have done until recently… but still, the headmistress treats me like any other parent or guardian. She agreed that Miss Violet was acting unprofessionally and she made it clear that her attitude towards Godparents and other legal guardians aren’t a reflection of the school’s attitude. I gather she has just been given a warning and won’t ever be covering Teddy’s class again but I don’t think she’s been fired.”

“Well other than your annoying amount of fan mail I see no harm that’s really come from this as long as she doesn’t come near you again” Draco said casually. “Thanks for telling me though and checking I’m alright with it.”

“Of course,” Harry said quickly. “You’re always my first thought.” He smiled sweetly at Draco and then his face shifted slightly and he looked a bit guilty once again. “There is one other thing though…”

“Go on.” Draco said cautiously. 

“I, erm, didn’t think he was paying any attention but erm, well Teddy must have been listening as he asked Dromeda later in front of me what a boyfriend was.” Harry said flushing slightly.

“Oh I would have loved to see you explain that one.” Draco asked, amused and not in the least bit annoyed.

Harry looked relieved that Draco wasn’t annoyed and smiled slightly. “It wasn’t that hard to be fair. Teddy’s a clever and curious child, he’s always had lots of questions and we, well I guess it is mainly Dromeda, especially in the early years but I’m trying to be more involved now… anyway we’ve always been very honest with him. He already knew I was gay as much as it is possible for a seven year old to know these things. You don’t mind then? That they know?”

Draco shrugged almost smugly. “Like I said, as long as my personal privacy isn’t affected it’s in my favour for the world to know that you’re unavailable to date.” Then he wondered seriously if that was the right attitude to have. “I know that’s selfish though. I am sorry that you can’t be honest with your family” He said slightly quietly.

He noticed that Harry didn’t say anything for a moment and when he did speak he still seemed quite unsure. “It’s OK, I mean honestly I wouldn’t have told them anything yet anyway… I might have liked to tell Dromeda and Teddy I suppose. I definitely see them as my family, Dromeda has been good to me over the years. The Weasleys, as much as I love them, they can become a bit too involved in my life sometimes and I am still quite private. Fred and George are a bit different though and they’ll know it’s you too…”

“Yes Blaise and Daphne have worked it out too.” Draco said simply.

“At least we have some people in our life that we can be open with then.” Harry said smiling softly.

Draco was reflective and quiet. “Yes that’s true.” He said simply. Harry was right, that was nice even if he had his own misgivings about Harry’s ex-lover being part of the group.

He couldn’t help wonder if this topic would come up again though. Yes it was extremely early days but he got the feeling that at some point Harry would want to tell the rest of his surrogate family and friends about them and why shouldn’t he? That’s what normal people in relationships did right? Except Draco wasn't normal. If he had it his way things would carry on exactly as they are. He was quite happy to hide away from the rest of the world with Harry and their small little group of friends at Grimmauld without anyone else bothering them… but that was selfish on his part yet again. 

Sighing inwardly he realised that one day he would have to start making sacrifices if this relationship was going to work and he definitely wanted it to. There was still the Lucius issue though, that was a big reason for Draco being so protective over his identity and location and they wouldn’t be able to tell anyone else or go out in public anyway with the threat of his ever controlling father hovering over them. Maybe Draco should let Harry get the aurors involved… Draco really really didn’t want that, but Harry did. Harry had been amazing, he hadn’t pushed the matter at all as Draco expected he would…

Relationships were about compromise right? And doing what was best for both of you? Or so he gathered… Maybe Draco should be thinking about what would be best for both of them and for the future of their relationship instead of just himself. Hmm, maybe. He would give it some thought but he wasn’t convinced. This relationship stuff was harder than he thought it would be.

*~*

The rest of Thursday was very uneventful fortunately and the new couple had a lovely normal evening in as usual. Friday rolled around with yet another night of Harry sleeping in Draco’s bed which was fine. Harry was sleeping much better which was good, Draco was sleeping slightly worse but it wasn’t drastic and he did like knowing Harry was sleeping. Draco still valued his privacy though and sent Harry out whenever he needed to get dressed and they very much still showered separately.

Harry respected Draco’s privacy but didn’t seem bothered by it himself. He seemed to have decided that it was now perfectly acceptable to walk around the house topless which Draco both loved and hated at the same time. He would never complain at the sight having only just had the pleasure of seeing Harry’s torso in all it’s glory but it did drive him to distraction and make it very difficult for him not to pin Harry up against the nearest surface and have his wicked way with him then and there. Last night Harry just just slept in his boxers which had made him very difficult to ignore as Draco drifted off to sleep. 

Not that they’d gone straight to sleep mind, there had definitely been a lot of kissing, touching and groping each other like horny teenagers before they’d finally given into their urges and given each other magnificent simultaneous handjobs. Harry’s technique was without fault, Draco’s only hoped his was satisfactory too but judging on the look on Harry’s face it had been. 

It was mid afternoon on Friday when he was wrapping up the second lots of owl orders for the day when Harry brought him a caramel latte and Draco was once again reminded of the benefits of working here with Harry around.

“Thanks.” He said as Harry passed him the drink and gave him a quick kiss. “You spoil me.”

“I like spoiling you.” Harry said back smiling and leaning in for another kiss, this time he lingered slightly.

“Harry, none of that now please I’m working.” Draco said pushing him away slightly, although with a smile.

“Hmm but I’m horny.” Harry moaned.

Draco had never heard Harry say that before and he’d be lying if it didn’t pique his interest but he was a man of discipline and he really did need to work. “Well I’m busy so you’ll just have to wait until tonight.”

“Tonight? What’s happening tonight?” Harry said cluelessly.

“Well it seems that we’ve established a bit of a routine already where we can’t sleep to sleep without getting each other off first. I assumed that might continue.” Draco said in a matter of fact tone as if merely discussing the weather.

“Well you do like a routine so maybe we should make it a rule.” Harry said smiling.

“I’m not opposed to that.” Draco said smiling slightly too but trying to hide it. He wondered how much further they might go tonight. “You’ll have to wait until Blaise and Daphne go though. Assuming you get back before they leave like last week anyway.”

“Oh yes, I did actually come to say something about that.” Harry started. “Hermione just floo called me, Rose has got a cold and she’s not feeling great either so she asked if we can give tonight a miss which I guess means that I’ll be here but if it’s a problem then I can go-”

“Harry we’re not going to kick you out of your own house.” Draco interrupted rolling his eyes.

“I know you said you value the time with them though and… well you also said ideally you wouldn’t be living with someone so soon into a relationship… I don’t want to like, smother you or something, for you to feel like I’m always around.” Harry said awkwardly.

“I don’t feel like that, I’d tell you if I did.” Draco said truthfully.

“Ok then, good.” Harry said smiling again now. “Well I was thinking of a sort of compromise anyway.”

“How so?” Draco asked.

“I thought it would be nice if I cooked, like properly. I’ve never cooked a three course dinner party meal before.” Harry did seem like he really liked the idea. “I’ve never done dessert to be honest but Kreacher can help me a bit with that. I’ll eat with you, obviously, but when they arrive you can have some time with them and have a few drinks and nibbles or whatever while I’m in the kitchen and I’ll kind of be hoping in and out of the kitchen all night so it should give you plenty of time to bitch about me to them when I’m out of earshot.”

“I don’t need you to leave the room so I can bitch about you.” Draco said in his mock scornful tone “I’m quite happy to point out all your faults in front of you.”

“Yeh I’m sure you would be actually.” Harry mumbled in mock annoyance.

Draco smiled properly now. “Seriously though Harry that sounds really lovely if you’re sure that’s what you want, don’t work too hard though.”

“Nah, I’m always up for a challenge and it will be fun.” Harry said excitedly.

“It will be nice.” Draco agreed. “And I’m sure that the only thing that will happen when you leave the room is Blaise drilling me about how big your penis is. He already asked me last Friday.”

“And what are you going to tell him?” Harry asked in amusement.

“That it’s tiny.” Draco replied instantly in a serious tone. “I may even start a rumour going ‘Harry Potter: the-boy-who-never-reached-puberty’. How much do you think Witch Weekly would pay me for an article on the Saviour having a three inch dick?”

“You’re a dick.” Harry replied, giving him a playful kick.

“Oh, brilliant comeback Potter, really witty.” Draco snapped back smugly enjoying the banter they’d always had now that it was no longer malicious.

Harry folded his arms across his chest. “Well perhaps I’ll just go take my unsatisfactory penis elsewhere and get myself off if it’s not good enough for you.” 

Draco immediately stepped forward and cupped Harry’s cock through the pajama bottoms he was wearing despite the fact that it was the afternoon. “Hmm don’t do that. In fact I forbid you to wank ever again without me at least being there to watch you.” He said into Harry’s ear as he groped him and then gave his ear a playful little nibble. He could already feel Harry respond to him.

“Hmm OK then. Whatever you say.” Harry mumbled happily.

Then Draco turned his head towards him and gave him a sudden, intense and passionate kiss then broke it off as quickly as he’d started it and immediately walked back to his desk leaving Harry just standing there recovering.

“Wha-what?” Harry stammered. “You can’t just do that and then walk away!” He said dramatically once he’d recovered his senses a bit. 

“Looks like I just did. Now you’re going to be thinking of me for the rest of the evening in front of Blaise and Daphne, not being able to touch me in the way you’d like and letting your mind wander to what I’m going to do to you tonight.” Draco said not even looking at Harry and speaking much more boldly than he felt.

Truthfully he hadn’t yet worked out what he was going to do to Harry tonight. He knew what he wanted to do… but he just wasn’t quite sure if he had the confidence.

Harry huffed from the doorway. “Well I’m going to use this pent up energy and go for a run then and when I get back I’m going to be dripping with sweat but I’m going to completely ignore you and go straight into the shower without you.”

“You do that.” Draco said pretending like he wasn’t bothered even though he hated missing an opportunity to see post-run Harry.

“Fine.” Harry said, starting to back out of the room.

“Fine.” Draco repeated allowing Harry to walk away. He did like these fun little games they played.

Two hours later Draco finished worked for the day and wandered down to the kitchen where he’d just heard Harry go after he’d gotten out of the shower. Entering the kitchen he saw four large parcels sitting on the table. 

“Oh yeh, I was just coming to find you and tell you they’d arrived.” Harry said upon seeing him enter. “Guessing they’re your new clothes.”

“Excellent.” Draco said genuinely thrilled. “Now I’ll have something new to wear tonight.”

Harry wandered over to where he’d been looking at one of the recipe books at the kitchen counter and came to wrap his arms around Draco from behind.

“Are you going to try them all on for me? Give me my own personal fashion show?” He said.

Draco smiled. “As fun as that sounds, you have a meal to prepare and I need to start getting ready. I always like to look my best for Blaise you know.”

“If you’re trying to make me jealous it’s not working.” Harry replied amused.

Draco turned in Harry’s arms so they were embracing face to face. “I know, I wasn’t really. You should know I only want to look good for you now, it’s always been you Harry.”

“Always?” Harry questioned confused.

Draco shook his head in amusement. No matter how many hints he had dropped Harry still hadn’t got it. He’d been too embarrassed to admit it at first but now he found he wanted Harry to know.

“Always.” Draco repeated. “I’ve fancied you since fourth year you oblivious idiot.”

Harry’s jaw dropped comically. “You- you- at school? Since... fourth year? I- I… wow.” He stammered out incoherently.

Draco smirked in amusement. “Yes I rather hated myself for it at first but I just couldn’t seem to help it. It was just a crush really I suppose but I have been telling you that.”

“You have?” Harry frowned. 

“Oh my sweet Harry, you’re so cute when you’re confused.” Draco’s words had gotten away with him a bit there but never mind, can’t be helped now and it was nice to call Harry his. “I talked about hot guys fighting dragons and mentioned a broomstick too, admittedly Cedric was hot too but you were the only one that flew during that task. I told you how much I noticed you in your dress robes at the Yule Ball, I said how I did anything possible just to get your attention in any way during fifth year… I thought you might have pieced it together.”

“Oh. I didn’t.” Harry said simply.

“That much is evident.” Draco teased. “You know I had a bit of a type with my lovers in France too.”

“You did?” Harry asked, still surprised.

“Yes.” Draco said bending slightly to give him little kisses between his words as he spoke. “They always had to be shorter than me or at the very least not taller… they had to have dark hair… black was preferable but dark brown was acceptable… sometimes I’d even mess it up too… green eyes were best... although none were ever anywhere close to yours… I’d settle for a bright blue though… if it was a club and I was really desperate… and their eyes were brown or something… then I’d make them look away... tell them to keep their eyes closed the whole time.”

Draco leaned back to look into Harry’s eyes, he felt like they set his world on fire every time he looked at them. They were sparkling brilliantly as always but they were darker with obvious desire.

“Fuck Draco… that’s…” Harry said his voice all dry and crackly.

“I told myself to get over my ridiculous obsession though. I never ever thought I’d actually ever have you.” Draco carried on explaining. “When I moved back to England I was bored of casual sex and I didn’t think I could get any enjoyment out of anything else so I just thought I’d be alone. I never thought about you, avoided the papers, never saw your face and just lived my life and focused on the business. Then one day, just as I’d finally opened my shop, you walk into my office and turn my world upside down again.”

Harry was looking at him in awe, it was the best look and it filled Draco with confidence to go on, to say more. To tell Harry exactly how wanted he was. Harry didn’t seem to be able to speak anyway.

“Do you have any idea what you did to me that day and then again at Daphne’s that night.” Draco said seductively. “Seeing you again, after all these years and looking the best you’d ever looked in… fitted clothes, in these damn jeans.” He said as his hands moved down to grab Harry’s arse through Draco’s favourite pair of black jeans that Harry wore. “I wanted you so badly. I thought about maybe just trying to fuck you, just once but I knew I’d have trouble keeping it casual, like I said, I always separated sex from feelings and my feelings towards you had always been kind of messed up... confused. I knew being your friend when you looked so damn hot and it was all I could think about would be impossible too if I was honest. I decided I wanted to have all of you or none of you. That was the only way for me but I never thought it a million years that it would actually happen and happen in this way so quickly and so... completely.”

“I-I… I don’t know what to say.” Harry said, still in awe, still seemingly lost for words.

Draco smiled at him softly. “You don’t have to say anything. I just wanted you to know.” and with that he kissed Harry again in the best possible way he could then simply picked up his parcels from the table and went upstairs.

*~*

Draco was extremely happy with his new clothes and it was nice to see his large wardrobe in his room and the chest of drawers actually completely full. If he was honest he could do with more space in the wardrobe, his dress robes didn’t quite hang properly in there. Never mind, it was a good problem to have really and he couldn’t find it in him to care at this moment.

He finally had all the variety and the luxury back in his wardrobe and he felt properly himself now for perhaps the first time ever. He was safe, he was happy, he was cared for and he was successful. He had all the luxuries in his life he was accustomed to but on his own terms. Yes, the money hadn’t been earned but he did feel like it was part of his inheritance really as he couldn’t have the Malfoy one and it was something that Harry had chosen to share with him which made it special too.

It was difficult to decide what to wear first after his bath and resisted the urge to try everything on all at once knowing that he didn’t have too much time. He did try a few different things on though and in the end settled for his first pair of ‘acid wash’ mid grey jeans. He supposed they were called that because of the lighted faded look they had, a muggle trend apparently according to the catalogue but Draco found he could liked them and the slim fit really was perfect seeing as though they were quite literally made for him. 

It was quite casual tonight really, just Blaise and Daphne round after all but he actually found himself hoping for an excuse to dress up more formally in all the different muggle style suits he now owned as well as multiple sets of different dress robes. He paired the jeans with a tight white V-neck t-shirt similar to the one he’d worn at the quidditch except this one was made to fit him properly and was a much nicer quality. Then he hung a loose black shirt over the top with the sleeves slightly rolled up. You could see his black leather wand holster but it didn’t much matter. He still wore it primarily as he didn’t want to see what was underneath but everyone tonight knew what was there and liked him anyway which was comforting.

Walking down the stairs he was met with amazing smells coming from the kitchen. He’d been doing a bit more cooking with Harry this week and found it was something he enjoyed. He didn’t really know what he was doing yet, he mainly just chopped and stirred things but he was learning. The food around here was always good though and again he found himself very lucky to have found himself a man that cooked. There was something quite sexy about it too, watching Harry work in the kitchen.

“Hmm smells good.” He said stepping into Harry’s domain for the evening.

Harry turned to look at him and was very obviously pleased with what he saw as he eyed him up and down. “You look so damn good… Merlin Draco, what are you doing to me today?”

Draco smiled very satisfied with this response. He knew he’d been teasing Harry all day but he was thoroughly enjoying it and expected it would probably be worth it later on tonight. 

He decided for now to ignore Harry’s obvious desire but he would definitely have fun teasing him when their guests were here too. “So what’s on the menu?”

Harry didn’t respond for a moment, still looking at Draco hungrily. Then he replied “you if I had my way.”

Draco hadn’t expected it but it was good to know that Harry could play the game. He walked towards him with a slightly exaggerated sway in his hips. “Hmm do you think I would taste good?”

“I’d very much like to find out how you taste.” Harry replied with such sincerity that it took Draco back a bit. Then Harry licked his lips and Draco started imaging that mouth somewhere different entirely. He was tempted to let the man have his way here and now.

Just then the mood was utterly ruined by Kreacher appearing back in the kitchen floating a trio of bottles and mumbling rude about the french. Harry and Draco just stood there a moment staring at each other frozen in time as Kreacher moved around them.

Then there was a knock at the front door. 

Fuck. Draco had fallen into his own trap that was only meant for Harry and was now standing here half hard and frustrated at the worst possible time. Focus. Umbridge. Hagrid. Slughorn. Anyone that wasn’t Harry.

Fortunately Kreacher was already opening the front door and greeting their guests giving Harry and Draco both a moment to recover. Right, well here it goes, thought Draco. His and Harry’s first official dinner party together as a couple. He spun in one place and turned towards the door leaving Harry trail after him.

“Evening.” He said as he walked through the doors of the kitchen into the entrance wall. 

“Good evening darling.” Daphne said as he kissed her cheek.

“Darling?” Came a voice behind him but it was amused not annoyed.

“Come on now Harry don’t get jealous, we talked about this.” Draco said in a mock serious tone. 

“Oh sorry Harry, I didn’t realise you were here.” Daphne said as Harry came into view behind Draco. “You can be darling too.” She said as he stepped forward to kiss her on the cheek too.

Draco sulked. “No he can’t, that’s my special name.”

“Don’t worry Draky baby I have lots of special names for you.” Blaise said not wandering to miss out on the fun.

Draco mumbled something rude and Blaise laughed. Draco stepped forward to give him a rare hug anyway feeling happy and generous today but Blaise pushed him away. 

“Sorry Dray, but my hugs are reserved for my beloved tonight.” Blaise stepped forward to envelope Harry in a surprise hug. 

Harry laughed but then untangled himself from Blaise. “Blaise, please don’t piss off my jealous boyfriend, it won’t bode well for me.”

Then Harry dragged a still sulking Draco into his arms and gave him a big kiss on the cheek. Draco wanted to stay sulking but having Harry call him his boyfriend for the first time in front of others was definitely something he liked hearing. He usually wasn’t one for physical affection in public either but this was like a public claim from Harry that Draco was his to kiss whenever and wherever he liked which made his stomach do a little flip. 

Just then he looked at the faces of his two best friends and they looked genuinely happy for him as he knew they would be. Even if Daphne had her reservations about how they’d rushed into it her misgivings seemed to fade when she saw them together and Draco knew she’d be nothing but supportive.

It was quiet for a moment until Harry spoke still with a possessive arm around Draco’s waist that Draco loved. “So, yeah sorry I’m crashing your evening guys but Rose and Hermione are a bit under the weather so I thought I’d cook for you all. I’ll leave you with Draco though while I return to the kitchen. Make yourselves at home and I’ll get some drinks and nibbles going in a bit.”

“That sounds lovely Harry thank you and it’s always nice to see you.” Daphne said politely. 

“Yes having the Saviour cook for us, how lucky are we.” Blaise said affectionately but Draco didn’t miss how Harry tensed up besides him.

“Blaise you prat don’t call him that he doesn’t like it.” Draco frowned at his friend and feeling the need to defend Harry. “He’s just Harry.” Draco said simply, turning to look at Harry to find those green eyes looking at him gratefully. Draco kissed him just quickly on the lips wanting Harry to know how he felt but not wanting to be too over the top in front of his friends. 

Then he playfully pushed Harry away. “Now leave us alone and if I don’t have a drink in my hands in ten minutes I’m coming to find you.”

“Yes my little Prince.” Harry said immediately not even looking embarrassed about the use of the pet name that he’d been slipping in very occasionally. He’d never been quite this bold about it though and although Draco was a little mortified by it but at the same time he kind of liked it.

Harry returned back to the kitchen closing the door behind him. 

“Oh Draco, you two are really rather good together and it’s so obvious how much he cares.” Daphne said softly. “I think you’ve made him very happy.”

“Yeah he is one hundred percent smitten but I think perhaps you are too.” Blaise said, with a grin. Then he became uncharacteristically serious. “I’m happy for you, seriously, I know I don’t say it a lot but I really care about you and you’ve had a bit of a tough time of it. It’s nice to see you happy with someone. It’s not something we’ve ever seen before.”

Draco smiled softly at his friends and for a brief horrifying second he thought he might cry. He cleared his throat loudly. “Let’s go to the drawing room for drinks shall we? It will be nice to use it.”

Then he very quickly went up the stairs allowing himself some time to gather his emotions and compose himself.

The drawing room was a really nice room that Draco had only ever used to make firecalls really but unbeknown to Harry he had taken up practising his old piano skills on a Sunday afternoon when Harry was at the burrow. The restored black grand piano in the room was a really nice one but Draco hadn’t played since he used the one in the Chateau in France. His mother had always liked to hear him play when he was younger but his father thought the skill was a waste of time, much like Draco’s drawing.

The restored Black family tapestry was the centerpiece of the room and the rest was done in dark greens and browns to match but it was more regal than the homely sitting room with touches of gold around the room bringing out the gold threads of the tapestry. Draco loved looking at the tapestry every time he was in here. Seeing his face here and the name ‘Draco Black’, the name which he’d chosen for himself, really made him feel like this was his home now too as much as Harry’s. It was nice though that the magic of the tapestry had recognised Harry and that they could both be on the family tree even though, mercifully, they weren’t related. 

“This room is really nice.” Blaise said approvingly as he looked around, being the only one of the three who hadn’t yet seen it.

“Yes it is rather.” Daphne said elegantly taking a seat on the old fashioned style sofa tucking the skirt of her burgundy dress underneath her.

“So Draco,” Blaise said, taking a seat next to Daphne. “You’re looking rather handsome tonight, new clothes?”

“Yes, do you like them?” Draco said, taking the vacant armchair.

“Very much.” Blaise said with a wink.

Just then Harry came into the room floating along four vintage coupe glasses with a deep red liquid in and a twist of orange peel. He wandlessly sent one to everyone and came to stand next to Draco’s armchair and draped his arm along Draco’s shoulder. Draco liked the weight and the warmth there, it felt nice.

“We’re going French tonight so I made a little Dubonnet cocktail, hope you like it.” Harry said, slightly apprehensively. “Well, cheers I guess.” He said as he raised his glass.

“To you and Draco.” Daphne said as she raised hers and Blaise added “and your magnificent home together.”

Daphne and Blaise both raised the glass to their lips but Draco and Harry both hesitated. Draco couldn’t tell what was going through Harry’s head with Blaise’s words, was it too much? Too coupley? He had been trying to casually slip it into the conversation all week that the plan for him to live with Blaise and Daphne was no longer happening but somehow it felt more momentous now they were in a relationship. It was like Draco officially asking to live with Harry long term, it felt like a big step even though they were already doing it and he half wondered if Harry would be OK with it. 

In his mind, he supposed that he hadn’t brought it up either because he felt conflicted by it. Really in his heart he already knew there was nowhere else he would rather live but his head said it was crazy to make it official to live together permanently when they had been officially together for three days. He’d pretty much said this to Harry the other day too so he didn’t want to come across as hypocritical.

Blaise and Daphne noticed that neither Harry or Draco had drunk to the toast and they exchanged a nervous glance but then Harry did take a small sip of his drink and he addressed Blaise when he spoke.

“That is until you steal him away from me so I understand.” He said casually as if he didn’t much care either way but Draco could sense the cracking in his voice. “How is the house hunting coming along?”

Blaise raised his eyebrows and looked straight at Draco who avoided his gaze but when Blaise spoke it was to Harry. “He hasn’t told you.” He stated simply.

Draco felt his cheeks flush and silently told Blaise to shut up.

“Told me what?” Harry said in confusion and Draco could feel his eyes looking at him even though he was now subtly glaring at Blaise.

Daphne came to his rescue as always. “I’m afraid it’s my fault Harry. You see I rather put a halt to the plan when I told the boys here that I’d rather stay where I am. Now that Blaise and I have made my grandmother’s old house our home we both find that we rather like it.”

Harry turned from Daphne back to Draco and Draco forced himself to look up at Harry’s face to read the expression there. He smiled relieved when he found Harry’s expression hopeful. “Does that mean, you’re staying here?”

“Well seeing as you moved Graham into my flat and these two have abandoned me I don’t have much choice in the matter do I?” Draco said sarcastically hoping Harry would know he was using humour as a defence mechanism to not admit how much he really wanted to stay.

Harry’s smile faltered for a split second but Draco looked at him and tried to say everything he couldn’t say his words with his eyes and Harry seemed to understand him perfectly. He grinned and leaned down to press a kiss to Draco’s forehead but just before he did he whispered “I really want you to stay here in our home.”

Our home. Two simple words that had such an effect.

Draco had never had his own home before unless you counted the dismal flat he’d briefly stayed in which he very much didn’t. It felt good to own that flat, it was an asset, an investment for the future,but it would never be his home.

This here was his home, his home with Harry, and he’d never felt happier in his entire life than he did in this moment as Harry perched on the arm of his chair and kept his arm around him whilst Draco drank and chatted with his three favourite people in the world.

Home and happiness. Draco thought, that was certainly something he could drink to.

“Me too.” he whispered back to Harry and practically felt the man’s massive grin. Unsurprisingly Harry was in the best mood ever for the rest of the evening.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you like it! Please let me know as always.  
> How's the story going? Too long yet? Shall I try and progress it a bit more quickly or do you like the pace and all the little fluffy moments?!  
> Still quite a few plot developments to get in... I'm worried I've got carried away and it's going to be too long!!  
> Shall I start the next chapter with the rest of the dinner party from Harry's point of view or just skip it and move on to sixth year of the book and the actual plot stuff?!
> 
> Next update will be Monday evening UK time.


	27. Harry: Friday 21st October-Sunday 23rd October

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Featuring amongst other things the rest of the dinner party, a tipsy insecure and overthinking Draco, some smut, some romance, some domestic fluff, Harry and Draco talking about Sixth year and a brief trip to the Burrow for Harry.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the longest chapter so far! :O  
> You asked for it so (hopefully) I've delivered!  
> I did cut the Burrow section out a bit to include the rest of the dinner party but I'll be sure to make the Burrow bit of next weekend's chapter longer so we all get time with our favourite Weasleys.
> 
> Who loves drunk insecure Draco?! He's here!  
> Some smut for you here but my writing will always focus more on the feelings of these intimate moments rather than the actions, so it's not graphic. I'm very much writing plot not porn and will only really include these moments when it's important to show something significant in their relationship but it's still fun and hope it's written OK.
> 
> *Also warning: there is a moment that talks about past suicidal thoughts here so be aware of that if that's a potential trigger for you.*

Harry was very happily cooking in the kitchen having just discovered that Draco was staying here for good and not moving in with Blaise and Daphne after all. He was hoping that he would but he hadn’t brought it up with him yet because Draco had said about taking it slow, although that didn’t seem to be happening.

He’d left Draco, Blaise and Daphne having cocktails and nibbles in the drawing room to allow them time together as promised. It was important for Draco to have time with his friends and relax and Harry liked doing things for people so it was nice to cook for them all.

Kreacher had kindly set the table for him and put wine on the table as well as a water jug so that was all ready to go. At half seven he sent Kreacher up to the drawing room to tell the others that dinner was ready to be served and he hoped that between Kreacher and Draco they would get everyone drinks. 

He put the four bread bowls of soup on a tray and carried them through to the dining room. 

“Evening again guys, hope you got all your bitching about me out of your system now I’m joining you.” He said happily.

“Never.” Draco drawled. “You just provide so much material for me to work with Harry, it’s too easy to bitch about you.”

“Too right. You should have heard him at the dinner table in school always moaning about ‘Potter this’ and ‘Potter that’. It was amusing at first but it became rather irritating really.” Was Blaise’s contribution to this topic and Daphne was agreeing.

“Funny,” Harry said with a twisted smile. “That’s what Ron and Hermione said about me when I was saying stuff about you.”

“Yes you’ve always been rather obsessed with each other.” Daphne said with a grin. “It was inevitable really that you’d end up together.”

“Took us a while though.” Harry said fondly smiling softly at Draco.

“Anyway, are you just going to stand there or are we going to eat tonight?” Draco said with a raised eyebrow.

“Oh yeah sorry, good job I’ve been keeping them warm.” Harry said quickly, serving the four bowls and taking a seat next to Draco opposite Daphne. “We’re starting with French onion soup, hope it’s ok.”

“It smells divine Harry.” Daphne said politely.

“Thanks, I’ve never made it before but hope it’s good.” Harry said. “Dig in everyone.”

“Bon appetit.” Draco said before leaning over his bread bowl and smelling the fragrant soup happily.

Harry was quite happy with the soup, it did have depth of flavour and the cheese on top was really nice. Everyone else seemed to like it and Harry got a lot of pleasure in watching Draco in particular enjoy the french cuisine. Draco looked over at him approvingly and placed a hand on his thigh and gave it a gentle squeeze.

“This is really good Harry, you’re a very good chef.” The way Draco said it was almost like Draco found his cooking sexy. Draco had been teasing him all day and although Harry was enjoying the dinner party part of him couldn’t wait until they had the house to themselves again.

“Yes you’re a real domestic God Harry, you're fit, you're rich, you can cook, you have a nice house, a house elf, no need for a job...” Blaise was ticking them off on his fingers as he said them. “Draco you should marry this one before I do.”

Draco scoffed. “As if you would ever get married.”

“Oh? Marriage doesn’t interest you then Blaise?” Harry said he was genuinely interested. 

“Why? Are you offering Harry? Because I could change my mind.” Blaise said flirtatiously.

Harry laughed when Draco put a possessive arm around his shoulders and glared at Blaise. Blaise held his hands up in surrender to Draco and smirked before turning a bit more serious.

“No, when you grow up with a total of eight step-fathers the whole institution and sanctity of marriage kind of loses its appeal.” He said sincerely. 

“Yeah I can see that.” Harry said kind of awkwardly. He didn’t know too much about Blaise’s personal life or what his relationship with his mother was like but he heard rumours about her which were kind of shocking. “Would you ever want to settle down with someone though long-term just without marrying them?”

Blaise looked like he was considering that for a moment. Harry was half worried he’d over stepped and was about to tell the man that he didn’t have to answer if he didn’t want to but then he seemed ready to anyway.

“Potentially.” Blaise said slowly. “I couldn’t see myself ever being in a conventional exclusive relationship and I definitely don’t want little brats running around ruining my life but I have to admit that one day the young single bachelor life where I just sleep with whoever might get old. I could see some advantages of having something a bit more stable… maybe, but it would have to be with a like minded person…” Blaise twirled his wine glass round as he drifted into his thoughts and then took a big gulp. 

After that he looked a little bit more like his cheeky self. “Maybe once this one is married off and won’t want to live with me anymore I’ll look more seriously but for now I think I’ll have a bit more fun.” He said nudging Daphne next to him.

Harry found what Blaise said quite interesting, it definitely reminded of him of something a certain someone else had said. Then he felt Daphne’s eyes on him and he looked up to find her giving him a knowing look with that mischievous twinkle in her eye, it was almost like she knew exactly what he was thinking.

“I’ve managed to persuade Blaise to take Fred to the wedding as his plus one.” Daphne said looking at Harry the whole time. “I thought it might be nice for George to have him there. He’s my plus one of course but I shall be occupied with bridesmaid duties for a portion of the day, particularly early on and it is a bit overwhelming for my little George to meet all of my family at once I do feel rather sorry for him so hopefully Blaise and Fred will look after him for me.” She said turning to Blaise and giving him a smile.

“Yes well I’d better get a shag out of it.” Blaise said as if he was annoyed with the idea of taking Fred but he was still smiling. 

“I’m sure you can convince him Blaise.” Draco said flatly. “From what I’ve heard he’s just like you.”

Harry was slightly uncomfortable discussing Fred so soon after his revelation to Draco and there was something slightly off about Draco’s tone but then Draco would have to get used to talking about him and seeing him so it might be better to just go with it.

“So have you met Fred now then?” He asked Daphne.

“Yes, just this week actually.” Daphne said cautiously. “I gather he was a bit… apprehensive, about George entering into a serious relationship but he seems to be giving it his full support now and I’ve started slowly integrating myself into George’s life a little more with others around. Monday Graham and I took out lunch break with the twins whilst Verity covered the shop so it was good to have others around at first but then last night Fred and George had me over for dinner at the flat so that was nice.”

“That’s good.” Harry said smiling. “He was just going through a bit of a tough time at the beginning of the month but you make George happy so he’ll love you for that so you have nothing to worry about.”

Harry turned to Draco who seemed to be drinking his wine at a quicker pace than Harry had seen him before and was now refilling his glass to the top again.

“Top yourself up, why don’t you Dray? Don’t worry about your guests.” Blaise said sarcastically as he sat there with an almost empty glass.

“Yes well when your boyfriend’s ex-lover suddenly becomes the topic of conversation then feel free to indulge yourself in the wine too.” Draco bit back a bit too snappily for Harry’s liking.

“Dra-” Harry started to say as he put his hand on Draco’s thigh but Blaise interrupted him with his louder voice.

“Merlin Potter, you told him? You’ve got balls.” Blaise said with a surprised whistle.

Daphne was looking at Harry approvingly but Draco seemed more annoyed which wasn’t a good sign. “You knew?” He addressed Blaise. Without waiting for an answer he rounded on Daphne. “You told Blaise but you didn’t think to warn me about it?”

Harry was getting worried, he wasn’t sure how best to handle this situation that was escalating quickly but fortunately, as ever, Daphne had it under control. She always seems to know how to handle Draco, Harry might have to ask her for the Draco manual.

She was looking at Draco so calmly as if his dramatics were nothing to worry about. “Draco, it wasn’t my place to tell you. We both know exactly what would have happened if I did, you would have gone straight to Harry to demand why he hadn’t told you himself, or you would have been waiting for him to tell you and with each day that passed that he didn’t you would have slowly got more paranoid and worried that Harry wasn't telling you for a significant reason. It would have affected your trust in him which is a big deal for you. This way you’ve found out from Harry and you know that you can trust him to tell you the truth and the whole truth. You know it’s better this way so don’t give me any of that. Harry told you much sooner than I expected him to so really you should be grateful.”

Daphne’s voice had been strong and commanding until now but she softened it significantly as she spoke the next sentence. “But Draco, you should know by now that Fred is not a threat to you, George said that Harry never looked at him the way he’s seen him look at you and he’s not even seen you two since you officially got together.”

Draco hadn’t said anything but his annoyance seemed to dissipate with that sentence and Harry could see his shoulders relax.

Harry reached over to place his hand at the base of Draco’s neck and rubbed it slightly. Draco looked at him and gave him a soft smile and Harry tried to put all his affection into the look that he gave him. “Help me take these back to the kitchen and get the main?” He said softly to him.

He knew the minute Draco was ok when he saw him roll his eyes. “Yes, let us all conveniently forget that you have boundless magic and a house elf to help you so I can use an excuse to go with you to the kitchen.” Then he turned to Blaise and Daphne to collect their bowls. “Sorry, Harry really needs my help as he couldn’t possibly manage these by himself.” He said dramatically.

Harry chuckled as he watched Draco take the two bowls out the room and he collected the other two and went to follow him out. He mouthed a ‘thank you’ to Daphne before he left her to Blaise’s company.

Draco was waiting for Harry in the kitchen. The minute Harry walked in Draco was all over him. He vanished the bread bowls wandlessly and accepted Draco’s advances.

“I’m going to make you forget all about Fred fucking Weasley” Draco said dangerously in his ear as he pressed him up against the wall and rubbed his body into him seductively.

“Draco, stop.” Harry said laughing and he pushed Draco away slightly so he could look at his face.

Surprisingly Draco obeyed and stilled himself still having body contact with Harry but drawing his face back. Harry looked at him lovingly and drew his hand up to trace the side of his face softly.

“Draco,” He said softly. “You’re it for me, I swear, I know it’s crazy soon but I already know that you’re it for me, you’re everything.” 

It was the deepest confession he could make at the moment without revealing deep terrifying thoughts that he hadn’t fully acknowledged himself yet but it seemed to be more than enough for Draco who closed his eyes and breath in Harry’s words dramatically as if they gave him life. Then he opened them again and gave Harry the softest most romantic kiss they’d shared yet. Then he buried his head in Harry’s neck and whispered “You’re it for me too.”

*~*

The rest of the evening passed very pleasantly and thankfully Draco seemed to have settled into a very good mood indeed. It was nice for Harry to see him fully relax with his friends and he drank more than Harry had seen him drink previously which loosened him up even more. Harry had indulgenced a little more than he had been of late tonight but he hadn’t had that much really as he had a pretty high tolerance for alcohol now. He seemed more extroverted tonight and his humour was on top form as he bantered back and forth with witty remarks between Blaise and Daphne. After dessert him and Daphne even started making cocktails at the dining room bar.

“Come on Harry, what’s your tipple let me make it for you.” Draco called out to him from the bar after he just made Blaise a very suspect pink looking drink that the man spat out as soon as he tried it.

“Given Blaise’s reaction I think you should leave bartending to the professionals.” Harry said laughing.

“Oh come on! Let me have a go, what’s your favorite cocktail?” Draco insisted in a highly amusing away his voice much louder than it usually was. “Although nothing with whiskey in, I can’t stand whiskey and you are never drinking it again.”

“Fair enough, I don’t need it to sleep now anyway.” Harry said happily amused at how under the thumb he seemed to be in his new relationship.

“Oh, what helps you sleep now Harry?” Blaise said with a raised eyebrow from his position at the dining room table now sipping on a margarita that Daphne had made him.

“Me, I help him.” Draco said happily as he presented a drink in front of Harry that was bright green.

“What is this?” Harry said looking at it very suspiciously. 

“It’s a mojito.” Draco said simply.

“No it’s not.” Harry replied, shaking his head in an amused way. “I don’t know what this is but it’s not a mojito. It looks like it’s just rum and a ton of mint syrup.”

Draco frowned slightly. “Well isn’t that what a mojito is?”

“No definitely not.” Harry said, vanishing the drink straight away.

“Hey, you didn’t even try it.” Draco said, offended.

“I didn’t need to.” Harry said standing up and taking Draco by the hand. “Let me show you how to make it properly.”

Harry smiled to himself as he pulled Draco back over to the bar. He pushed him forward and stepped in behind him standing very close. He leaned round Draco slightly so he could still see and started getting the fresh mint out of the drawer and then the sugar showing Draco how to muddle it properly and as he was doing so he ground his hips into Draco from behind and a little moan escaped Draco’s tipsy lips. Harry measured out the rum and topped it up with ice and a splash of soda water before finally stepped back from Draco. 

They’d made two together and Harry, standing next to Draco at the bar now, put his arm around him. “Cheers” He said, holding his glass up as Draco took a sip of his own.

Draco’s eyes went comically wide. “Harry this is good. Damn it I think you do make a better bartender than me. Is there anything you can’t do?” He half whined.

“What can I say? I am very talented.” Harry turned and whispered seductively in Draco’s ear before giving it a playful nibble. 

Draco moaned again probably louder than he’d intended to as Blaise gave a little wink over to Harry and nudged Daphne besides him. “Drink up Daph, I think we should probably leave these two lovebirds to it soon.”

Draco seemed to have forgotten his friends were even there as he drank his cocktail at an alarming rate and then proceeded to give Harry a full of snog in front of them. Harry pushed Draco off him slowly and gave a loud cough nudging Draco in Blaise and Daphne’s direction.

It was only then that Draco turned his attention back to his friends and flushed in embarrassment somewhat before covering it up in his usual Draco way. “Been lovely having you guys but make sure you don’t overstay your welcome won’t you? Kreacher will show you out when you’re ready.”

Then he took Harry’s hand and dragged him firmly out the room. Harry was protesting verbally but still allowed himself to be dragged anyway shouting a goodbye to their friends over his shoulder.

“Draco that was rude.” He said laughing slightly as he was pulled hand in hand up the stairs.

“They’ll get over it.” Draco said, continuing determinedly to their destination.

When they finally reached the top landing Draco didn’t stop he just pulled Harry straight into his bedroom, closed the door behind him and then pressed Harry up against the door.

“I want you.” He moaned into Harry’s ear as he started rubbing his hands all over Harry and leaning in to kiss his neck, desperate for him.

“You’re drunk.” Harry laughed as Draco continued his assault on Harry’s neck.

“I am not.” Draco mumbled into his neck and then he pulled his face away to look at Harry right in the eyes. “I just needed a bit of dutch courage.” He said quietly in a low husky voice that sent shivers down Harry’s spine.

Harry’s breath caught in his chest as he watched Draco’s beautiful silver eyes sparkle and then darken in the centre with obvious desire. “For what?”

Draco swallowed thickly and seemed to gather courage and then looked at Harry fiercely. “For this.”

Then Draco proceeded to unbutton Harry’s shirt slowly kissing his way down Harry’s chest as he went getting lower and lower. Once all the buttons were undone Draco stood up and slid his hands over Harry’s shoulders to peel the shirt off and let it fall onto the floor.

“Draco…” Harry started to say something but he wasn’t sure what and he started trying to get Draco’s loose shirt off him too but Draco batted his hands away.

“Harry, just let me do this… please.” Draco begged and Harry crumbled to his will.

“You can do whatever you want.” He chuckled as he resigned himself to Draco’s control.

“Hmm I intend to.” Draco said, licking his lips and looking hungrily at Harry’s naked torso.

Draco grabbed Harry’s waist and turned them both and then walked Harry backwards over to the bed kissing across his chest as he did so. Then he lightly pushed Harry down onto the bed. Once Harry was sitting on the edge of the bed Draco knelt down on the floor in between Harry’s legs and started to undo his belt buckle then the fastenings on his jeans. 

Harry was flushed with need and anticipation, was Draco about to do what he thought? He helped Draco take his jeans off by lifting his arse off the bed slightly and to his surprise Draco pulled down his boxers underneath too in one swift motion. Suddenly Harry was sitting on the bed completely naked and he was aware that this was the first time he’d been properly naked in front of his new boyfriend. Draco seemed very aware of this too as he practically froze to just stare at Harry in the best possible way.

The look Draco was giving him made him feel alive, it was so much better than anyone else looked at him. Now all those workout sessions to get this body seemed worth it and not just to feel strong but also for the first time he felt sexy and was happy about it.

“Fuck Harry… you are…” Draco trailed off not knowing how to describe how he felt looking at Harry but Harry didn’t mind, he didn’t need words. The look in Draco’s eyes was enough.

Suddenly the look in Draco’s eye changed and he seemed nervous for some reason, he looked like he was frozen unsure how to proceed. Harry didn’t understand why but he felt the need to reassure him. He trailed his fingers down the side of Draco’s face and then lifted his chin so he could look into his eyes. 

“What’s wrong?” He whispered gently.

“I- I’ve…” Draco closed his eyes and took a deep breath. “I’ve never done this before.” He confessed quietly with his eyes shut.

Oh, thought Harry. That was… strange? What exactly was it that Draco was planning to do that he hadn’t done before? He knew Draco had lovers in France, surely he was experienced? But then he said he didn’t do physical touch much…

“Draco.” Harry said softly. “Look at me.” He urged.

Draco looked up at him again from in between his legs, his hands placed on his knees.

“You don’t have to do anything, I have zero expectations.” Harry said softly, drawing his hands through Draco’s soft hair soothingly.

“I know I don’t have to, but I want to. I- argh, fuck.” Draco said as he collapsed back onto his knees on the floor still fully dressed. 

Harry felt a little self-conscious now being the only one naked and feeling the earlier arousal dissipate slightly but he couldn’t care too much about that now. Draco needed him. He got off the bed and crouched down onto the floor scooping Draco up effortlessly picking up his slender frame. Then he stood with Draco clinging on to his shoulders and curling into his neck. He carried Draco onto the bed and laid him down on it before climbing up next to him.

“Talk to me my little prince, what’s going on in that head of yours?” He asked softly as Draco lay next to him.

“This isn’t how tonight was supposed to go.” Draco whined looking at the ceiling. “I just wanted to make it perfect for you, I thought I could do it but I freaked out when I was faced with your enormous, perfect cock.”

Harry couldn’t help but laugh. “It’s not that big.” He chuckled.

Draco turned and looked at him seriously. “It is when you’ve never sucked a cock before.” 

“Oh.” Harry said quietly, blinking in surprise. “You’ve never…”

“No.” Draco sighed and looked at the ceiling again. He never seemed to be able to look Harry in the eye when he was being vulnerable and confessing something. “I know it’s pathetic but I told you I was a selfish lover. I received without giving much and I didn’t really care what my previous partners thought of me. I didn’t like anything that felt too intimate, so… there’s a few things I don’t have… experience in.”

“Oh Draco,” Harry said softly scooting over into Draco’s side and stroking his face pushing his soft locks out of his face and tucking it behind his ear. “I don’t care what you have and haven’t done before. It wouldn’t bother me if you were a complete man slag or a total virgin. Neither of us have been in a relationship before and this is our chance to start over and explore things together. I’ve given a fair few blowjobs in my time but I’m still really nervous to give you one because I want it to be perfect for you and I’m not quite sure what you like and what you don’t.”

“You don’t need to be nervous,” Draco said smiling at him. “I’d like anything you did.”

“But that’s exactly how I feel about you, you silly man.” Harry countered smiling back at him. “I guarantee you that anything you do to me will feel ten times better than anything I’ve experienced with anyone else because it’s you.”

“Yeah?” Draco said with a nervous smile but the sparkle was back in his eyes as he started to trail his hand down Harry’s torso.

“Yes.” Harry said simply as his arousal started to build again with the look that Draco was now giving him. “But you don’t have to you know, I could give you-”

“No.” Draco interrupted him and firmly pushed Harry onto his hand and then straddled him taking back control once more. “I’ve been thinking about this all damn day and I’m doing it.”

“OK.” Harry said chuckling lightly at Draco’s ever changing moods but pleased the fire was back in his little dragon. “Draco,” He said softly and waited until Draco looked back into his eyes. “Nothing you do will be wrong, you already make me feel better than anyone else has ever done so just trust your instincts and I promise you I will enjoy it.” He said honestly giving Draco the confidence boost he needed.

It seemed to work as Draco sucked in his breath and started grinding on top of Harry bringing him back to full hardness. Draco had the determined look back in his eye that made him look incredibly sexy. Harry propped himself up slightly with the cushions behind him so he could see Draco and sat back to enjoy whatever the man wanted to do to him, giving him one last encouraging look. Harry was determined to spoil Draco and make him feel good at some point but this seemed important to Draco to be able to give pleasure for once and Harry certainly wasn’t going to stop him.

Draco leaned into Harry’s neck and started giving him little kisses again whilst still moving on top of him. Then he started scooting down Harry’s body nudging his legs apart and settling himself in between them as he trailed kisses down Harry’s chest again. He got lower and lower with his mouth until he was dangerously close to his prize. Harry felt Draco pause and saw him look up at him once more just needing that eye contact. Harry bit his lower lip at the sight of Draco and wiggled his hips enticingly at Draco smiling at him. Draco chuckled and happily dove straight in without an ounce of hesitation now.

The next moments that followed made Harry very happy indeed. He had no idea how much time passed as Draco proceeded to use his mouth and hands on him but it hardly mattered. Harry surrendered completely to Draco and gave him all the encouragement he needed with little moans and incoherent babble to let him know exactly how much he was enjoying it. He’d been horny all day so it didn’t take much anyway but he was trying to hold off so he could enjoy it for as long as possible. Finally he couldn’t hold back anymore and just about managed to warn his lover.

“Dra- close” He mumbled.

Draco pulled his mouth off just enough to speak but Harry felt the vibrations of his words against his aching cock. “I want to taste you Harry.”

And that was all it took for Harry to give Draco exactly what he wanted, looking him straight in the eye as he did so committing the incredibly erotic sight to memory, before he collapsed his head back against the pillows in post orgasmic bliss still panting slightly.

Draco kissed his thighs on either side and then trailed his kisses back up Harry’s body as he scooted up the bed once more. He moved onto the bed next to Harry and laid himself on his side looking at Harry with a single hand on his chest.

Harry brought his own hand up and placed it on top of Draco’s as he recovered. A few minutes later he turned towards Draco to find those soft grey eyes looking at him happily, Draco seemed just as satisfied as he did.

“I take it that was good then?” Draco asked with a cheeky smile.

“It was amazing you fool, just like I knew it would be.” Harry said honestly. “You’re a natural, I would have had no idea that was your first time.”

“Really?” Draco said, seeming surprised but pleased. 

“Definitely.” Harry said grinning at him. “Did you enjoy it?” He asked curiously.

Draco nodded his head slowly and seemed slightly embarrassed. “Yeah… I really did actually. I, erm, I didn’t realise… giving could be so… pleasurable and- well you taste really good Harry.” He finished flirtatiously.

“Come here.” Harry said simply with a sudden need. He put his arm on Draco’s back and pushed their chests together and Draco compiled beautifully until they were flush against each other. Harry leaned forward and closed the gap completely giving Draco a full on passionate fierce kiss tasting himself on Draco’s lips. Harry groaned into the kiss feeling his arousal rise again slightly already and pressed himself against Draco further feeling Draco’s hardness too.

“Draco,” He mumbled against his mouth. “You’re wearing too many clothes.”

Draco chuckled, a sound that Harry always liked to wear. “Feel free to correct that if you like.” He replied seductively.

Harry pulled away and looked at Draco seriously for a moment. “I want to see you, completely, please, can I?”

His boyfriend seemed slightly hesitant and Harry wondered if this was a big deal for him, exposing himself completely, being vulnerable, but Draco nodded slowly and that was all the permission Harry needed.

He sat up on the bed and Draco did the same. Then Harry slid his hands over Draco’s shoulders and peeled the open shirt away from him as he had done to Harry. After that he gripped the base of Draco’s t-shirt and slowly pulled it over his head, Draco raised his arms to help and Harry discarded the white tee on the floor somewhere.

Harry paused looking at Draco realising this was the first time he’d seen him properly topless. Before, he’d only ever undone his shirt buttons to see the front of his torso. He trailed his fingers over every inch of Draco’s skin. 

“You’re so beautiful.” He said sincerely, giving Draco a long appreciative look which Draco seemed to like. Draco, unlike Harry, was completely hairless on his chest and only had fine blonde hair on his arms which you could barely see. “Your skin is just divine.” Harry said running his hands all over the soft pale flesh. 

Draco obviously loved a compliment and was no longer looking nervous. Harry decided to push him a little further as he trailed his hand down Draco’s left arm to the one thing that was interrupting his view of Draco’s naked upper body. His hands stopped and rested lightly on the wand holster attached to Draco’s forearm and he felt Draco stiffen slightly.

“Do you ever take it off?” Harry whispered gently. He’d never seen Draco without it, knowing now he even slept with it on.

Draco shook his head and looked down at the bed. Harry wasn’t sure how much to push this, he didn’t want to upset Draco but he wanted him to know how important this was to him.

“I- I will never force you to Draco, but I- I’d really like it if you did.” Harry said softly scooting closer to Draco and pressing their foreheads together, his hand still resting on Draco’s forearm. He pulled back enough to use his hand to gently raise Draco’s chin and look into his eyes. “I know what’s there, I’ve seen it before on you, the night you pulled your sleeve up to show Dumbledore, if that helps you… I don’t know if it does but I know exactly what’s there and I’m still here. I want you, all of you and nothing is ever going to change that.”

“This is part of you.” Harry said bringing Draco’s left arm to his lips and kissing the leather holster over where he knew the mark was. “Just like my marks and my scars are part of me. It shows what you’ve been through and I’m not ashamed of it so you shouldn’t be either. I would walk down the street of Diagon Alley holding your hand with the mark on full view to everyone if you wanted me to. It’s not who you are Draco, who you are is in here.” He said lowering Draco’s arm and pressing a kiss to Draco’s chest right over his heart.

He pulled back again to look in Draco’s eyes and tried to read what was going on in there. “I won’t ask again, if you don’t want to take it off that’s fine, I would never ask you to do something you weren’t comfortable with but I just want to see all of you, exactly how you are.”

“I-” Draco bagen shakily. “I haven’t taken it off since the day I put it on six years ago. It’s an expensive one, self cleaning, waterproof, durable… I intended to leave it on forever.”

“Well you can leave it on… if you like.” Harry said gently. “But you’re safe here, safe with me and there’s never any judgement.”

“You- you want me to take it off?” Draco said breathing deeply, processing it all.

“I do.” Harry said kindly but firmly. “But only if that’s what you want to, I want you to be completely yourself with me, free… free of everything. It’s just me and you.”

“Just me and you.” Draco repeated to himself slowly. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath preparing himself mentally and then when he opened his eyes again they were determined. “You can take it off.” He said to Harry.

“You sure?” Harry said, wanting to be sure.

Draco nodded firmly and the look in his eyes told Harry that it was ok. Harry brought Draco’s left arm up again to near their faces and Draco held it there for him so that Harry could have both hands free to undone the straps. He undid them slowly looking at Draco’s face the whole time wanting to be sure he was OK. Once the straps were both undone Harry took the leather holster away and placed it carefully on the bedside table with Draco’s wand still inside.

Draco was looking up at Harry’s face the whole time, his arm hadn’t moved but he hadn’t looked at it yet. Harry took it and gently pulled it towards him, mark side up and trailed his fingers down over the skin uninterrupted by the holster for the first time, still looking into Draco’s eyes as he did so. The skin seemed just as soft as every other part of Draco and Draco’s eyes widened in surprise at this too but still wouldn’t look down.

Harry broke eye contact first to look down at the arm as he did so Draco looked away. Harry looked down at the first dark mark he’d seen in years. He’d seen a few when they’d rounded up the remaining Death Eaters after the war and with each one the mark had seemed more and more faded as time after the war went on but it still didn’t prepare Harry for what he saw. The mark was there, no doubt about it but it was almost completely faded. Harry bent down and kissed it and felt Draco’s breath hitch as he did so.

“Draco,” Harry started as he kissed the skin where the faded mark was again. “You are beautiful.” He repeated, feeling like Draco needed to hear it again at this moment.

Draco turned his head to look at Harry and there was a single tear rolling down his cheek. Harry reached up and wiped it away with his thumb and then leaned over to kiss the spot on Draco’s cheek.

“You OK?” He asked. Draco nodded slowly and smiled at Harry but he didn’t seem to have any words. “You should look at it.” Harry said softly. “You might be pleasantly surprised.”

He watched as Draco’s expression turned slightly confused and he closed his eyes again briefly as he did when he was trying to control his emotions or gather himself. Then he opened them and looked down at his arm. His eyes widened again and he opened his mouth in surprise.

“It’s- it’s…” He tried to say but his throat was dry. 

“It’s faded a lot.” Harry completed for him and Draco nodded.

Harry leaned over again and captured Draco’s mouth in a lovingly kiss which started off soft and tender but Draco took the lead again and made it increasingly more passionate which reminded Harry that Draco still hadn’t had his release yet and he probably needed it after all this time. He climbed up on top of Draco’s lap and then gently pushed him back onto the bed still kissing him the whole time. 

Then he broke the kiss and sat up straddling Draco. He started grinding his hips into Draco as Draco had done for him earlier. In fact, he started to mirror all of Draco’s moves from earlier, doing to the blonde what he had done for him determined to make him feel just as good. He wanted to show Draco just how much he wanted him in his movements. He moved down Draco’s body taking off Draco’s jeans and his boxers as he did so until his boyfriend was lying on the bed completely naked for Harry for the first time and Harry was admiring him from the foot of the bed.

Harry had to stop and look at him, it was the most breathtaking sight he’d ever seen. He recognised the feeling of vulnerability in Draco’s eyes but then when Draco saw the look that Harry was giving him he seemed to get all his confidence back.

“Like what you see Potter?” He teased.

“Very much so.” Harry chuckled back honestly.

“What are you waiting for then?” Draco said arrogantly as he took his own hardness in his hands and started pleasuring himself. 

“Hey,” Harry said, batting his hand away gently. “That’s mine.” He said playfully.

“Come and get it.” Draco said flirtatiously.

“Hmm I am.” Harry said as he started to kiss Draco’s bare feet and work his way slowly up Draco’s leg.

*~*

It was about one o’clock in the morning before they finally fell asleep naked in bed together for the first times. They curled up in each other’s arms and despite Draco’s initial protests that he was not a cuddly sleeper, it seems like perhaps he could be after all. It seemed like a big step forward for them and it wasn’t just out of laziness that Harry was pleased to be able to walk around the top floor naked in the morning leaving the bathroom door open as he brushed his teeth with nothing on and his bedroom one open as he got dressed.

He noticed that Draco still closed the bathroom door when he showered but that was fine, Harry knew he liked time alone to process things even though he hoped that one day he could hop into the shower with him. He also noticed that Draco had left the wand holsters as he’d gone for his shower so Harry suspected that was another reason for the need for privacy. That was a big step for him. Harry didn’t shower that morning anyway as he was planning to go for a run after breakfast so there didn’t seem to be much point.

It was for this reason that he dressed in joggers and a long sleeved black lycra top. It was getting colder out there now and Draco refused to give his sports tank top back despite the fact that Harry wasn’t really sure what he’d done with it. He waited on Draco’s bed for him to get out of the shower and Draco seemed surprised but not annoyed to find him still there when he got back.

“You hoping to watch me get dressed?” He said, raising his eyebrows at him.

“Yes.” Harry said simply and unashamedly.

Draco chuckled. “And should I expect this all the time now that you’ve seen me naked?”

“Yes.” Harry repeated with a grin.

Draco shook his head in amusement as he took off his grey silk dressing gown and threw it over Harry’s head. Harry laughed and dragged it off him. He sent it wandlessly over to the hook on the back of the door where it hung itself elegantly. Draco’s eyes were settled on his wand holster on the bedside table where it had been since Harry put it there the night before. Harry picked it up and held it out to him to take figuring that’s what he wanted.

He stretched out his hand and took it from slowly passing it over in his hands a few times. “It’s the first time I’ve showered without it.” He said quietly. “It’s not just the fact that it covered the mark, it’s the security of having my wand on me at all times.”

Harry was nodding seriously. “Yeah I can understand that, but you’re safe here.” He said seriously, repeating his words from the night before. He watched Draco try to put it on and secure the fastenings one handed but struggle. He scooted forward wordlessly and took over from him to do the straps up.

“Thank you.” Draco said in a quiet sincere voice. “For everything… last night was just… Well, just thank you.” He said smiling at Harry softly.

“Last night was amazing.” Harry said looking up at Draco.

“It was.” He said back at him before giving him a quick kiss on the lips and turning towards his wardrobe.

Harry watched as he opened the doors and noticed how cramped it was in there now. “You know, if you need more space you can always use the wardrobes in the master bedroom. There are two big tall wardrobes in there and it’s where my suits and dress robes are.”

Draco looked genuinely grateful. “Yeah that would be great actually, they don’t hang properly in here.”

“Well move them in there whenever or ask Kreacher to.” Harry said casually until another thought crossed his mind and he blurted it out before he even thought about it. “In fact… well, I dunno, it might be too soon or whatever and you might not want to... but… erm-”

“Harry,” Draco prompted “just say it.” He said with an amused smile.

Harry drew confidence from him and smiled back. “Well if you wanted to we could move into the master bedroom together, that way I wouldn't have to sleep in here and get dressed in there.” Harry said pointing to his bedroom. “The bed in there is even bigger and there’s just much more space for all our clothes, there is even an adjoining room which I think is supposed to be a dressing room with more storage space and multiple full length mirrors. Plus the shower in the ensuite is the best one in the house, it’s huge.”

“You mean I have been using an inferior shower this whole time and you failed to tell me?” Draco said in his prissy tone which always made Harry smile. “And you have a dressing room in your house? I could have really used those full length mirrors yesterday you know when I was trying on my new clothes. Merlin Potter, you could have told me.”

Harry loved the fact that Draco always called him Potter when he was jokingly annoyed with him. He found the fact that there was still a posh boy underneath all of Draco’s layers that had to have the best things around very amusing too. He stood up and wrapped his arms around his still naked boyfriend from behind also loving the fact that Draco seemed totally comfortable being naked around him this morning, he still couldn’t get enough of him.

“I’m sorry that I didn’t tell you my little Prince, I didn’t even think about it.” Harry said kissing the back of his shoulder. “But you know you can explore this house fully, it’s not mine anymore, it’s ours and you’re welcome to anything you find.”

Draco turned around to face Harry and wrapped his arms around him too. “My little Prince?” He questioned.

Harry laughed. “I wondered when you were going to question that. Do you mind it? It’s just how I see you, you act like royalty half the time. You always were the Prince of Slytherin and now you’re mine. You make these cute little posh boy demands sometimes and I love it. I want to make sure you have everything you want, everything you deserve.”

“I usually hate pet names but I don’t mind that one, although you could drop the ‘little’.” Draco said smiling down at him. “I’ll have to think of one for you.”

“Well you were always the creative one with names at school, I’m sure you’ll think of one.” He said rolling his eyes. Then he turned slightly more serious. “So what do you think about the room? Is it too coupley?”

Draco raised his eyebrows at him. “Hmm let’s see, bigger bed, dressing room, better shower, more storage, one less flight of stairs to climb, the real question is why aren’t we in that room already?”

“Fair enough.” Harry said. “Well why don’t you get Kreacher to help you move us in tomorrow whilst I’m at the Burrow? The room is a bit darker and I know you like the light colours in here so you can redecorate it however you want honestly. Everything in the house is set up by Dean and Seamus to be easily transfigured so please just make any changes you want and if there is anything else you want for the room ask Kreacher to get it. I want it to be perfect for you.”

“What about you?” Draco asked.

“All I care about is sleeping next to you every night, preferably naked.” Harry said kissing him. “I don’t care about anything else. I slept the best I have in years last night.”

“So did I actually.” Draco admitted quietly.

“Good.” Harry said. “We have a busy day today so one more night in here and then tomorrow we’ll sleep in our new room.”

“Our new room.” Draco repeated happily.

“Come on then get dressed, it’s already half nine and I haven’t had my morning coffee.” Harry said giving Draco’s naked arse a playful slap.

“Well feel free to get a start with brewing it.” Draco said, stepping away.

“And miss the view of you bending down to put your socks on? No thanks.” Harry said sitting back down on the bed firmly with his eyes still roaming Draco’s nude form. 

*~*

“So you said we had a busy day today, did you still want to do sixth year stuff today?” Draco said over breakfast.

“Yeah I think so, if you’re up for it. I know sixth year was hard for you.” Harry replied

“It was,” Draco sighed. “But we can focus on your sixth year memories today, I might write some of mine one evening this week and see if we can include them alongside yours.”

“Of course, anything you want to include is fine.” Harry reassured him. “I’m going for a run first though this morning.”

Draco trailed his eyes over the skin tight lycra. “Yes I figured you were, or else you were just wearing that thing to torment me.”

“Maybe both.” Harry said cheekily. 

Draco chose to ignore him. “It’s good that you have an outlet for your energy and exercise is very good for your mental well being too. I sort of miss it.”

“What form of exercise did you used to do then?” Harry asked genuinely. “You definitely are pretty fit too you know, you’re stronger than you look so there must be muscles in there somewhere.”

Draco laughed a bit. “I used to swim.” He replied seriously after a moment. “I find water calming as you know but the exercise was good for me mentally and physically.”

“Makes sense actually, and you have a swimmer’s body.” Harry said, piecing it all together. “Why did you stop?”

Draco looked at him like he was stupid. “Well I can hardly pop over to the manor and ask to use the outdoor pool now can I?”

“Oh right.” Harry said, feeling foolish. “I didn’t know you had a pool at the Manor but of course you did.” He said shaking his head slightly and then he turned his head in the direction of the garden. “Is there enough room here for an outdoor pool?”

Draco snorted slightly. “How is anyone supposed to tell how big your garden is when it’s so overgrown you can’t even see it?”

“Yeah I know… fair point.” Harry said reluctantly. “I’ve been meaning to get it done for ages but it’s just not really my forté, I’d have no idea what to do with it.” He was quiet for a moment before turning back to Draco. “Would you- I mean, it seems like maybe more your sort of thing, you designed your shop right? Were those plans yours? Would you maybe want to draw some up for the garden? Then you can see about putting a pool in for your swimming and anything else you want.”

Draco looked at him surprised and then a soft slightly disbelieving and slightly grateful look settled in his face. “Harry… you- you don’t have to do that for me, I don’t need it, you’ve already done so much for me, changed your home-”

“It’s our home Draco, remember?” Harry interrupted him. “I told you I want you to have everything you could ever want here, everything you need. The garden is just a waste of space, we should get it done so that we can enjoy it. The muggle neighbours can’t see it anyway so it can just be our private outdoor space in the middle of London, our sanctuary.”

Draco reached over the table to take Harry’s hand. “You already give me everything I could ever want Harry.” He said softly. “But a garden would be nice, I have to admit I miss being outdoors sometimes, I actually really liked the grounds at the Manor, more so than the actual house, and to swim again would be… well it would be good,”

“Well then whatever you want we’ll do. I’m sure we can find some herbologists and some construction workers to do it for us. Dean and Seamus work with some guys who do gardens too I think.” Harry said determinedly.

“OK then.” Draco said softly but looking very happy.

“Right then, I’m going for my run. You working much today or will you be ready to chat when I get back?” He stood up and addressed Draco.

“I do genuinely have lots of custom made perfumes to make for Hallows Eve gifts this morning.” Draco said sipping the last of his coffee. “It might take a while.”

“Well I can give you a hand if you want? Get them done quicker?” Harry offered genuinely.

Draco scoffed. “I remember you in potions, I think it will be quicker if I do it myself.”

Harry frowned. “I wasn’t that bad, it was mainly just Snape’s methods. I still got an E in my O.W.L.s and sixth year I was better than you anyway.” He said cheekily knowing he’d have to confess the reason why at some point today anyway if they were discussing that year in their education.

It was Draco’s turn to frown now. “Yes, that was most annoying and I never quite understood why, I’m sure it wasn’t just because Slughorn loved you but I wasn’t exactly focusing on my schoolwork that year.”

“I can follow instructions well I swear.” Harry insisted. “And if you let me help you I’ll tell you why I was good at potions that year.”

“So there was more to it then?” Draco questioned with his signature raised eyebrow.

“Oh yes.” Harry said, chuckling to himself.

*~*

“So you cheated.” Draco insisted as they worked together in his lab. “I knew it.”

“It wasn’t cheating. I was just following a different set of instructions than everyone else.” Harry retorted giving the same line to Draco as he gave to Hermione and Ron all those years ago.

“That is such a Slytherin answer.” Draco said, shaking his head but smiling slightly. “Ever since I read about that in your first year chapter I can see it more and more.”

“Yeah” Harry said with a bit of a grin. “I never told Ron that he’ll probably die of shock or heartbreak when he reads that bit.”

“You know you don’t actually make a bad assistant. I might have you in the lab more often.” Draco admitted.

“Wow, such high praise.” Harry said sarcastically.

“Well what more do you expect?” Draco said dramatically. “You don't have the natural instincts of a potioneer and you lack creativity but you’re right you can follow instructions well which explains why you were able to follow Severus’ instructions in that book but still doesn’t explain why you were such a suck up to Slughorn.”

“There, erm, there was actually a reason why I had to get on Slughorn’s good side.” Harry said honestly.

“Oh?” Draco questioned.

“Come on, let’s get cleaned up here and we can go upstairs when you’re done.” Harry said. “Then I’ll tell you the full story.”

“There is always more to the story with you.” Draco said half amused. 

“You don’t know the half of it.” Harry snorted. “We’re still only just getting started.”

It was about two hours later in the lounge when Harry finally got the end of it all, well this part of it anyway. They’d been sitting there with Harry talking and Draco making his own notes as well as the magic quill taking down Harry’s every word, occasionally stopping to sip on the lattes he’d made or eat a cookie that Kreacher had baked that morning.

Fortunately they managed to laugh at the fact that sixth year started with Draco breaking Harry’s nose and leaving Harry on the train and Draco admitted that afterwards he kicked himself for not stealing Harry’s cloak, it could have been useful for him that year. Harry apologised for stalking him but they laughed about that too knowing how obsessed they’d been with each other then and what it had led to now.

...

“You know, in some ways when I can ever tell Ron and Hermione about us, part of me doesn't think they’ll be surprised. I think they thought I was half infatuated with you that year, they certainly got fed up with hearing me talk about you.” Harry said light heartedly.

Unfortunately though his light hearted tone didn’t go down quite as well as he thought it might do. 

“Well you were right to have your suspicions about me that year weren’t you?” Draco said bitterly after Harry’s earlier confession of seeing what he’d gotten up to in Diagon Alley before school had even started. 

“Yeah, well I’m not pleased I was right and I didn’t piece it together quick enough to help you…” Harry trailed off awkwardly 

“You couldn’t have done anything Harry.” Draco said, shaking his head. “I would never have accepted your help even if you had offered it, part of me would have wanted to but I would have been far too defensive and far too afraid. You saw what happened in the bathroom… we weren’t in the right place to help each other then.”

...

Harry knew he was right really. He’d seen Draco cry and he’d still attacked him even if Draco had attacked first... their relationship then had been too messed up, too bitter, too hateful. He wasn’t sure what he would have done exactly if he’d known about Draco’s situation but there was no use in wondering. Instead he amused Draco by telling him about asking Dobby and Kreacher to tail him and how Kreacher had been back then.

Harry had also told Draco all about Dumbledore’s special lessons with him that year of course, all the pensive trips they’d taken and how much he’d learnt about Tom Riddle’s past with each one. He explained how Dumbledore had tasked him with getting one final memory from Slughorn, the amusing story of how he’d done that and then exactly what the memory had contained and why Harry had been forced to ‘suck up’ to his potions professor.

Following that Harry had to explain to Draco exactly what a horcrux was and that’s where they were at now.

“Sweet Salazar.” Draco swore softly. “So- so Riddle had multiple horcruxes, seven I’d guess based on that conversation and it’s numerical significance, that’s… and the things in the memories, the Gaunt ring, the Hufflepuff cup were those… were those some of them? Things that meant something to him.”

Harry was genuinely impressed, but then Draco had always been cleverer than him. “Yeah, you pieced together all the clues much quicker than I did.”

“It’s still hard to believe.” Draco said but then he frowned. “Or maybe it’s not… I don’t know.”

“I know what you mean.” Harry said. “Anyway, this is the bit where I need Kingsley to step in and edit where necessary. We agreed that I’m not to use the word ‘horcrux’ in the book and am under no circumstances ever explain how to make a horcrux but just that Riddle ‘tethered’ his soul to seven objects and that we had to destroy them in order to kill him.”

“So that’s what you were doing seventh year while you were on the run?” Draco said. “You, Granger and Weasley went off to hunt and destroy horcruxes?”

“Pretty much.” Harry said. “Although it really wasn’t that simple.”

“No I can’t imagine it was.” Draco said, shaking his head in disbelief. “You were so young, I understand you had to be the one to kill him but couldn’t the Order have helped with the horcrux hunting? Why did it have to be you?”

“Yeah,” Harry said, slightly uncomfortable. “I asked myself that a lot, sometimes I hated Dumbledore for putting it on me without really giving me all the information especially once I found out he knew he was going to die anyway… why didn’t he tell me more whilst he still could? Why did he have to make it so hard? But then it would have been a massive risk to tell anyone else about our mission, if Riddle found out and started moving the horcruxes or adding more protection to them… it would have been impossible.”

“I still can’t believe he knew he was going to die.” Draco said quietly looking down at the floor. “I mean I really could have done with that knowledge that year. The whole time I was practically killing myself with worry trying to plan how to save myself, how to save my mother and not become a murderer or how to best kill my own fucking headmaster because I had no other choice when he was slowly dying from a curse anyway and planned for Severus to be the one who finished him off if the need arose… it really puts everything I went through that year into perspective. I mean Severus could have told me. I nearly killed Bell and Weasley, I- you have no idea how... bad I felt after… I’m so sorry Harry I-”

Harry quickly pulled Draco into his lap and Draco curled into him. He ran a soothing hand up and down Draco’s back as Draco fought back the tears. “Shh, I know Draco, I know you’re sorry. You didn’t mean for anyone to get hurt and they didn’t, they were OK. Everything is OK.”

“I could have so easily become a killer that year though, at sixteen, my soul would have been ripped apart forever. I wouldn’t have been able to live with myself.” Draco said quietly into Harry’s chest. “I nearly didn’t you know… live with myself I mean… I nearly threw myself off the Astronomy tower several times that year… I used to go up there sometimes at night and just wonder whether it would be better to just let myself fall… It’s fitting really in a twisted way that’s how it ended for him…”

“Draco… I’m so sorry that you were suffering so badly that year.” Harry said gently to him, feeling a tight pain in his chest and holding Draco firmly in his arms, not ever wanting to let him go. “I’m really pleased you didn’t throw yourself off the Astronomy tower.”

Draco straightened himself up and Harry relaxed his grip only slightly to allow him to do so but Draco remained sitting on Harry’s lap. He looked at him with those soft grey eyes. “Me too.” He whispered, his voice dry and crackly. 

Then he cleared his throat and looked over at the wall. “Mother was the only reason I didn’t. Our relationship has never quite been what I think a mother and son should be because of Lucius’ influence but I know she… cares for me and I for her and with Lucius in Azkaban it was my job to keep her safe… I wish he’d stayed there though quite frankly. I miss Mother still sometimes but she’s alive and that’s what counts.”

“And you’re alive.” Harry said softly to him. 

“Yes.” Draco said simply.

“And Riddle is dead, he can’t hurt us anymore.” Harry added, still rubbing Draco’s back.

Draco turned back to Harry and gazed lovingly at him in a way that made Harry’s heart ache in the best possible way. “Thanks to you.”

“And others.” Harry insisted.

Draco nodded slowly. “Yes and others, I really do understand that Harry and I think it’s amazing what you’re doing to recognise the heroics of others in the book but no matter what you say you still had the biggest part to play and you should realise that too. Dumbledore trusted you with this mission and I’m sure I’ll hear more about the specifics but the fact of the matter is he knew you could do it with Ron and Hermione’s help and you did. You should allow yourself to feel proud of what you did for so many people. I know you hate the name being called to you by the public but you’ll always be my own personal hero and there’s nothing you can do about that. You saved me in more ways than you could possibly know and you’re still saving me even now.”

“I’ll always save you Draco and I’m OK with being your own personal hero because you’re mine.” Harry said as he traced the side of Draco’s face lovingly, glossing over the fact that Draco had used his best friends given names for the first time out loud, there was too much else going on in his head right now.

His heart was pounding in his chest as he looked into those familiar eyes that he was lucky enough to see everyday. He couldn’t bear to think of the pain Draco went through that year, he couldn’t bear to think that he almost gave up and then he would have never had this chance to redeem himself, to live his life, to make himself happy and to make Harry happy too. What would Harry's life be like now without Draco? Everything they had each been through both together and apart had led them here and here was a very good place to be. 

Here was the happiest Harry had been in his whole life. This was it, he knew it, this was what he’d always pictured when he imagined his future with someone. He had no idea then that Draco had been the mystery man but now it just seemed to make perfect sense to him and Harry already knew that he’d never get this chance again with someone else. There would never be another Draco. He already knew it really, he’d not been thinking about it consciously but it had been there in the background just slowly creeping it’s way forward in his mind but now it was shining in bright fucking lights. 

He was falling in love with Draco, hard and fast. This was it, it had to be. This aching feeling in his chest where he felt like he could cry and dance all at the same time. This feeling in his lungs like he just wanted to breath all of Draco in like a drug and live on it for the rest of his life not needing any other sustenance.

This was love.

*~*

Sunday was every bit as hard as Harry thought it was going to be as he stepped into the kitchen of the Burrow and was immediately accosted by Molly.

“Harry dear, so good to see you.” She said pulling him into a tight embrace but he felt her looking over his shoulder as she did so. “Have you come alone? I thought I told you that you should bring this boyfriend of yours, I cleaned the house especially and I made your favourite-”

“Molly” Harry cut her off firmly. “It really means so much to me that you would welcome him into your home without even knowing who he is and that you would go to all this effort but as I told you in my letter, it really is extremely early days. We’ve not even been together for a week yet and it’s just too early to meet the families. I really don’t want to put any pressure on the relationship, we’re just enjoying getting to know each other properly.”

Harry said the stuff he’d been rehearsing in his head. It was true really, all of it, he just left out the fact that he had already realised he was in love with him and that they were living together… oh and that it was Draco Black née Malfoy. 

“Of course we would welcome him Harry. Whoever he is, if he’s good enough for you then we will love him like family.” Molly said reassuringly. “If he is good enough for you that is, if he’s not then I shall give him a piece of my mind. Is he good to you Harry? Are you happy? Please tell me that you’re happy you deserve that so much...”

She said rapidly on her second round of questioning. At least these questions were easy to answer.

“Yes Molly.” Harry said gently. “I am happy, he is really good to me and good for me.”

“Good Harry.” She said, pulling him into another hug. “Then you keep hold of him.” She said as she let him go. “But definitely bring him to lunch won’t you? You know when you’re ready of course but next week would work I-”

“We came to rescue you but-”

“-it looks like we’re too late.”

Came two familiar voices stepping into the kitchen. 

“Fred, George.” Harry said happily and indeed feeling relief wash over him.

George stepped forward to give him a hug which Harry automatically accepted and then Fred did too but Harry stepped back glancing over his shoulder to Molly who fortunately had turned her attention back to the cooking. He dragged George into the front garden knowing that Fred would follow.

“What’s up?” Fred said to him as soon as they were out of his mother’s earshot.

“I’m, er, I’m really sorry Fred but I, er, I promised… well you know, the boyfriend,” Harry stuttered not wanting to say Draco’s name out loud around here just in case. “That I wouldn’t hug you.” He finished awkwardly.

“Ah, so he knows.” George said, wincing slightly but not looking too worried.

“Well it’s not like he’d find out.” Fred pointed out, slightly put off. 

Harry shifted awkwardly. “He said he’d smell you on me and I really just don’t want to piss him off at the moment.”

“Just tell him it was George, we smell the same!” Fred insisted, laughing slightly.

“I always thought so too but apparently you don’t.” Harry said, shrugging. “He said that George smells like sandalwood, a bit like me but that you smell of cedar wood.”

“And there is a difference?” George said, looking amused.

“Apparently.” Harry said, shrugging again. “He has a very sensitive nose.”

At that point Fred and George both burst out laughing and Harry was relieved they were seeing the funny side of this, then again he shouldn’t be surprised. 

Fred held his hands out in surrender and back away from Harry slightly. “Not to worry mate, I’ll keep my distance. I have to work with the man this week and I really don’t want to get on his bad side. I should have got all the hugs in last week when I still had the chance but I honestly didn’t think you’d tell him this soon.”

“So, erm, you’re OK with it?” Harry said, running his hand through his hair nervously.

“Yeah, I expected it. We were talking to Daphne about it Thursday and she was saying how possessive and jealous your boy is.” Fred said, glancing at George who was nodding.

“Yeah he is a bit.” Harry admitted.

“When did you tell him then? Cos I expected him to turn up at the flat and hex Freddie into oblivion.” George said with a raised eyebrow. “I’m surprised he even let you come today!”

“He doesn't tell me what to do.” Harry said indignantly but then at the looks both the twins were giving him he sighed comically. “OK then well maybe he does.” He said laughing softly to himself. “But I told him Wednesday, I thought Daphne might have told you he knew after his little outburst at dinner Friday night” He said to George.

“I didn’t see her yesterday.” George said simply. “She went straight home after work, apparently there was this big last formal dinner between her family and Ernie’s that’s traditional about a week before the wedding and she said she’s going to be pretty busy in the run up to it this week.”

“Oh yeah, guess that’s true.” Harry said nodding along.

“So how did he take it anyway?” Fred asked Harry interestingly. “I mean I’m still alive so I take it that's a good sign?!”

“He wasn’t happy about it.” Harry confessed. “But I think he’ll be fine now as long as we make sure we don’t touch, that’s his one rule but even then I reckon once he’s seen us together again a few times and got more secure in our relationship he’ll be fine. He knows how important your friendship is to me and he said he wants to carry on having a good working relationship with you. He accepts that you're going to be part of both our lives for a few different reasons and he’s just going to have to get over it. Plus he did admit to actually liking you but don’t tell him I told you that.”

“Excellent.” Fred said happily and then he turned slightly more serious. “I, erm, I have to admit I was a bit worried about it. I thought I might have to back off properly from you for a little while which, er, would have been hard.”

“I wouldn’t have let that happen Fred and he knows that. You’ll always be important to me and he cares about me enough not to make me choose.” Harry insisted.

George was nodding happily and gave his twin a little punch on the shoulder. “See? We told you it would be fine. Daphne and I said that Draco would never do that.” He explained to Harry.

“So that’s all settled then?” Harry said, wanting very much to put this matter to rest.

“Yeah.” Fred agreed happily.

“Good.” Harry said simply before changing the conversation. “So talking about the wedding, I hear you’re going too now as Blaise’s date?”

Just then Harry was very glad he had changed the conversation as another familiar redhead came round the corner holding his little baby girl.

“Merlin Fred, now you’re dating Blaise?” Ron exclaimed loudly. “What is it about these bloody Slytherins that makes them so great we end up talking about them every week?!”

“Ronald!” Hermione scolded her husband just coming into view behind him from the garden path that led round the back. “How many times have I told you not to swear in front of Rose?”

“It was hardly swearing I didn’t say fuck did I?” He argued back but then went a bit red in the face. “Ah fuck, well now I have.”

“You’ve said it twice.” Fred pointed out helpfully.

“Here go to your godfather Rosie so that your mother can hit me.” Ron said grimacing and handing Rose over to Harry who happily accepted her and drew her in close to give her a kiss on the forehead. It had been a week since he’d seen her and he hadn't cuddled her at all last Sunday.

Hermione wacked Ron over the arm pretending to me more cross with him than Harry suspected she was and then addressed Harry.

“Hi Harry, we came to find you. Arthur’s looking for you. He’s out the back with Bill.” She said simply before turning to ask Fred if he was really going to the Greengrass-Macmillian wedding that everyone was talking about at work apparently.

“Oh yeah, I need to talk to them about the Order and the book.” Harry said to no one in particular and hurried away with Rose still in his arms.

“Yeah but then then later you’re going to have to tell us all about this boyfriend of yours Harry mate, we’re not letting you get out of this one.” Ron called out as he walked away his paces getting quicker and quicker.

*~*

Four hours later he was stepping through his own front door again tired, full and relieved to be back home. Straight away he felt a familiar smell coming from the kitchen and went to investigate. Stepping into the room he saw Draco wearing an apron and taking a treacle tart out of the oven, it smelt divine and he looked adorable.

“You made treacle tart?” Harry said bewildered.

“Yes, I wanted to surprise you.” Draco said happily, looking pleased with himself. “I’ve been reading the baking sections of the books as you said you’re not that good at desserts and sweet things are my favourite anyway of course so I thought I’d start practising them and maybe we can do the next dinner party together where I can be in charge of desserts and feel useful.”

“That’s a great idea.” Harry said, walking over to Draco and giving him a hug as he’d put the tart on the counter.

Draco sniffed Harry dramatically before accepting the hug. Harry shook his head in an exasperated way. “I didn’t touch him, my overly possessive sexy little baker.”

Draco laughed a little and then snuggled into his neck. “Thank you” He said softly and seriously.

“You want some then?” He said stepping away from him and pointing to the tart.

“I would absolutely love some and it’s so nice of you to make it but it’s still early in the day, maybe we could have it tonight? I’m still really full from lunch, sorry.” Harry said a bit sheepishly and not wanting to admit that he’d had second helpings of the treacle tart that Molly had made for him.

“Of course.” Draco said putting a stasis charm over the tart.

“It looks really good though.” Harry said honestly to reassure him. Truthfully it looked every bit as good as Mollys which made sense really seeing as it was a copy of the baking recipe book she used in his pantry.

“So did they hound you with questions about your new boyfriend?” Draco said with a smirk.

“Oh yes.” Harry said groaning and rolling his head down against Draco’s chest.

Draco gently cupped his head and lifted it up so they could look at each other properly. “I’m sorry.” He said as Harry saw a flicker of guilt pass through his face.

“Don’t be.” Harry said. “It honestly is way too early to tell them yet anyway, I just want to enjoy being us here hiding from the world for a little while.”

“Me too.” Draco said kissing him on the forehead. “Did you talk to Mr. Weasley and Bill about the book?”

Draco always called Molly and Arthur Mrs and Mr Weasley which was to be expected of course but he was getting much better at calling all the others by their names as he couldn’t just call them ‘Weasley’ all the time, it was far too confusing.

“Yeah,” Harry said nodding. “I think they’re really honoured to be involved and they both said they’re happy to draft something up about the Order with a bit more information for the public about what they were doing during the war. They said they’d run it by Kingsley as to what they could include and send it back to me in the next week.”

“Great.” Draco said happily.

“I was wondering about the others too.” Harry said thoughtfully.

“Which others and what about them?” Draco asked him.

“Well you know, we’re getting to the crux of it all now in the book, the war I mean, and I thought about having a little chapter from all of them about what that year was like for them. I might have to write my bit first though so they can read it and then I’ll pass it around and they can all add their chapter you know? Ron, Hermione, Ginny, Neville, Luna, maybe even Dromeda and Molly, Charlie, Fred and George, Lee… would be cool to hear more about Potterwatch.”

“Potter watch?” Draco questioned with a raised eyebrow.

“Oh yeah it was this radio show that Lee ran to give people news on the war, rally the resistance, spread hope, give people a few laughs you know… it was brilliant. Sad too of course… that’s how I heard about Ted Tonks…” He trailed off.

“Wow, I had no idea.” Draco said, sounding impressed. 

“My code name was lightning.” Harry said grinning.

“Of course it bloody was.” Draco said laughing and stepping forward to push Harry’s hair out of his forehead and press a kiss to his famous lightning bolt scar. “You’re my bolt of lightning, the stunning light in my thunder storm.”

Harry’s heart did a little flip.

“So, erm, how did the room decorating go?” He asked, stepping back from Draco slightly but still smiling at him. He never wanted to discourage him but he was worried now that he’d realised it for himself that he’d end up stupid blurting out the ‘l’ word at some point soon if he wasn’t careful.

“Well we’re all moved in and I’m happy with it.” Draco said casually. “But you need to like it too.”

“I told you, as long as you’re in it I’ll like it.” Harry said confidently.

“It really is a beautiful room and it’s massive.” Draco said contently. “I can’t believe you’ve never used it before.”

Harry flushed slightly but Draco caught it.

“What are you not saying?” He asked.

Harry cleared his throat slightly. “Well, I erm, well you know I don’t like sleeping alone and I, er, I just always thought I’d only move into that room… you know, if I ever found someone to be with properly, here at home, if I was happy enough in a relationship to ask someone to move in with me.”

“Well I’m sorry moved myself in and robbed you of that opportunity.” Draco said sarcastically but his smile wasn’t hiding how happy he was.

“I’m glad you moved yourself in.” Harry said quickly. “And I did ask you to share the room with me so you know, I still got to ask.”

“I’m happy I said yes.” Draco said wrapping his arms back around Harry’s waist. “Now it really can be our room, knowing you’ve never slept it in either, it feels nice.”

“Yeah it does.” Harry said leaning up to kiss Draco on the tip of his aristocratic looking nose. “Come on then, show me.”

Draco took him by the hand and dragged him up two flights of stairs this time into the Master bedroom instead of the usual three and opened the door of their new room. Harry stepped in happily and looked around. It was beautiful.

Most of the room was white but it had touches of silver and gold everywhere that gave it an opulent feel and reflected the light more. Harry wouldn’t have thought silver and gold would go together like this really and if he’d done it it would have probably looked more like Christmas gone wrong but Draco had achieved an effortless and timeless glamour to the room. It was classy without looking extravagant and it was neither masculine nor feminine in decor really. 

“Do you like it?” Draco asked eagerly. 

“I do, it’s lovely.” Harry said. 

“I thought, you know silver for Slytherin and gold for Gryffindor but you know I prefer a lighter colour palette really, it’s calming and luxurious not too different from my bedroom I had upstairs but different enough to make it ours.” He explained.

“Yeah, it’s perfect.” Harry said honestly, still admiring the room. “Perfect for us.” He said, looking at Draco and taking the step over to him to close the gap. “I can’t believe I’m lucky enough to sleep here with you.”

“Me neither.” Draco said, holding Harry’s waist as Harry slipped his arms up over Draco’s shoulder and round the back of his neck. “I can’t wait to go to bed with you tonight Harry.” Draco said seductively.

“Hmm, we could just go to bed right now.” Harry replied back biting his lip.

“Good idea.” Draco said back before practically throwing Harry onto the bed. “I think I’d still like to practise my oral technique.” He said flirtatiously before climbing on to the bed with Harry.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always let me know what you think and anything you want to see!  
> Next chapter is a big one for the plot! :O  
> I will try by best to get it out on Wednesday but I have a full day of work tomorrow now so realistically it might be Thursday evening.  
> <3


	28. Draco: Monday 24th October

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Just another normal Monday with Draco brewing at home... until the band on his ankle heats up again!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I did just about manage to get this chapter out tonight after all!  
> It is slightly shorter (sorry) which helped but it just seemed like a natural place to send it from Draco's perspective before we switch to Harry's which is a little thing that I like to do sometimes in the middle of a scene!
> 
> The gang are finally all together in this chapter -although it's not really about them!  
> Enjoy! :D
> 
> *Warnings: potential triggers for abusive relationships, control issues and mental health issues

Draco was awake before Harry on Monday morning like usual. He often thought that if it wasn’t for the fact Harry liked to have breakfast with him then Harry would be content to sleep in until mid morning. Unlike Draco, Harry was not naturally a morning person but Draco liked to wake up early and make the most of the day. Usually he was sleepy in the evenings whereas Harry seemed to have boundless energy then. It was funny really, how different they were and how well they seemed to have adjusted to be part of each other’s lives anyway.

Harry was still sleeping deeply next to him but it was early and Draco was in no hurry to wake him. He liked being around Harry but this little pocket of time first thing in the morning when his mind was alert and fresh was precious to him, it was his time to think, to process. He was still surprised at how well he was coping in his new relationship. He hadn’t been lying to Harry when he said he wanted to take it slow, he’d been worried that at some point he would freak out about all this ‘coupley stuff’ but he hadn't yet. He didn’t like change and this new bedroom was yet another change but somehow, with Harry by his side he thought he could face anything.

It was true that he was used to being alone but he hadn’t exactly been happy about it, even if he’d told himself at the time that he was. Now though, he couldn’t imagine being without Harry. He still had his concerns but so far everytime he over-thought something and his insecurities had crept up on him Harry had surprised him in the best possible way handling them all beautifully. Like the fact that Draco could be completely naked around him now even with his mark on show without feeling exposed, vulnerable or judged. Instead he felt comfortable in his own skin and cherished. 

He would never forget the look on Harry’s face when he’d been spread out on the bed naked for him for the first time. Harry had called him beautiful and that had meant everything to Draco. No one had ever called him beautiful before. Fit yes, handsome, gorgeous, good looking, he’d heard those from men in the clubs, lovers, but never beautiful. When he was with Harry the man made him feel beautiful inside and out. Draco had always known he had good looks with a decent body. He knew he was witty and clever which made him quite a good conversationalist if he could be bothered. He could be charming too when he wanted so he could usually make people like him but it had always seemed somewhat false before and there had always been plenty of things he hated about himself. He’d never felt like a good person, he’d never felt worthy to be cherished, but Harry made him feel worthy. Harry made him feel beautiful inside and out.

‘My little prince’ Harry would call him. It always brought a smile to his lips. All he’d ever wanted was for someone to spoil him. He knew he acted spoiled because he’d wanted to create the impression that he was but really he wasn’t, not in the sense that mattered anyway, not with real feelings. He lived for years with money, luxury and possessions but no affection, then he’d had affection from his friends but no sense of comfort or financial security in his life. Now he had both, he had everything. He had a home in which he could enjoy every luxury he wanted, he had clothes, food, money, a steadily growing business and most of all he had affection not only from his friends but from a relationship with this gorgeous man sleeping besides him.

It still terrified him really, how deeply he cared for Harry, how deeply he relied on him and this connection they had. He knew that Harry had the potential to break his heart and the thought of that was enough sometimes to make him want to run away from it all just so that Harry wouldn’t have the chance. Which was totally stupid really as if he ran away from the best thing that ever happened to him then he would just be breaking his own heart. So yes, he could get his heart broken but he’d know that going into this and so far the risk had paid off. He knew what it was like to be kissed by Harry Potter, to feel asleep next to him, to laugh with him, cook with him, to cuddle him naked and there was still more to discover about life with him so right now he was more excited than scared.

He reached out and stroked the side of Harry’s face pushing his ridiculous hair out of his eyes. It was these precious moments that he could easily take for granted, he was determined to acknowledge how lucky he was just in case this didn’t last. He didn’t like to think about that but if everything did come crashing down around them at least he had this amazing thing even just for a short while. At least he’d known what it was like to be happy.

Harry started grumbling and stirring slightly. He reached out to put his arm around Draco and pulled him closer without actually opening his eyes. Draco leaned over to kiss Harry on the forehead.

“Bonjour mon héro.” He said gently as Harry was waking up.

Harry mumbled something back but it might as well have been parseltongue for all Draco knew. Chuckling to himself he got up and walked into the en-suite deciding he may as well leave the door open now. It was rather nice having an ensuite and a dressing room again and he figured he didn’t necessarily need to have privacy from Harry anymore. Although it was nice to have plenty of space in the house where he could go to be by himself if he needed, he found himself just wanting more and more of Harry’s company.

The ensuite was kind of a wet room style. There was one glass screen to separate the shower from the rest of the bathroom but you just walked round it to get in, there was no shower door. He walked into the shower area and turned it on. Harry had been right, this shower was on par with any the manor had boasted, perhaps even better given how modern it was. There was a large square showerhead on the ceiling with rained down lots of powerful jets of hot water but there were also lots of other jets on the wall which could be turned on or off as required. The pressure and the temperature were just perfect and there was so much space in here.

Just then he heard a cough from behind him and when he turned round he was a very naked Harry by the glass partition of the shower section eyeing him up and down happily.

“You left the door open, but I didn’t want to sneak up behind you or anything.” He said sensibly despite the fact that it was clear he’d wanted to. He seemed slightly hesitant though when he asked “Do you mind if I join you?” 

Draco smiled at him, especially when he noticed he was hard. “No not all.” He said casually and he turned back round to face the shower wall.

He felt Harry come in from behind him and press his body up against his and then his hands were running up and down all over him.

“Do you have any idea how amazing you look in the shower? You look so fucking good Drac, all wet and naked.” Harry mumbled as he kissed his back. “I’ve been wanting to jump in the shower with you for ages and I was hoping when we moved into this room that I could.”

“Oh yeh?” Draco said over his shoulder feeling bold and enjoying the attention Harry was giving him. “You've been thinking of me in the shower often then?”

“You have no idea.” Harry said as he continued to touch him everywhere. “Ever since that first morning when I bumped into you coming out of the bathroom, then every time you were in the shower or the bath I was picturing the scene. It’s even better in real life though.”

“Well make yourself useful won’t you?” He said twisting round to pass Harry his favourite homemade shower gel.

“Hmm.” Harry said happily, taking the shower gel and squirting some into his hands before he continued his tactile assault on Draco’s body reaching round to the front to wash a particularly intimate part of him.

Safe to say that it was indeed the best shower of Draco’s life and it put him in a very good mood to start the day. That and the bacon butty that Harry made him for breakfast. 

After breakfast, and a kiss he went to floo call Graham and catch up with how his work on Saturday went and set him up with work for the day today. He was still impressed with his new shop assistant and half wondered whether he could teach him how to make other products, not just potions so he wouldn’t have to cope with these bespoke orders by himself. It would probably be worth it to have someone else who knew the products before the Christmas rush that he was hoping to get.

Then he went down the stairs to the cellar to continue his work from Saturday making the personalised perfumes and magical cosmetics that had been ordered. He had been working for about an hour and had a nice little row of perfumes on his completed work bench but now he was working on a particularly volatile one that was tricky to make. It was a lavender perfume which was blended with calming potion to have similar effects for the wearer and it was very popular in the shop. 

He was at a crucial stage where he was adding just a tiny splash of peppermint extract. It was used in calming draughts but only in small amounts, too much and it would react negatively with the charms he’s placed on the lavender sprigs. He was just hovering over the cauldron adding the tiny drop of peppermint required when the tight band on his ankle suddenly burned hot. The alarming sensation shocked him and caused him to drop the entire bottle of peppermint essence in the cauldron which consequently exploded.

The impact shook the whole table and the completed perfumes that Draco had already made fell off the edge and smashed on the floor. The cauldron shattered and remnants of the pewter pot went everywhere crashing into bottles and breaking them but worse than that was the boiling hot liquid from the cauldron that shot up everywhere. Draco threw his hands over his face to protect most of it but splashes of the liquid went all over his hands and down one side of his neck burning his flesh on impact.

“Fuck.” he yelled outloud.

He got his wand out of his holster with a shaking painful hand and quickly cast a cleaning and then a cooling spell over his hands and neck. It would stop it getting worse but he could still see his skin blistering. There wasn’t time for that though, the band had been triggered and Daphne was at the shop with Graham. They might be in danger.

Just then the door of his lab flung open and Harry came bursting in with some material folded over his left arm and his wand in his right. It was so rare now to see Harry holding his wand that Draco just stared at it trying to remember when he last saw it.

Harry seemed shocked at his surroundings and stood there frozen for a moment. Then he clocked Draco staring at his wand. “It helps me focus my magic in emotional situations… I think.” He mumbled, still frowning at the mess in the lab. 

Then he looked closer at Draco. “Shit Draco, your hands, your neck what happened? You OK?”

“No time, shop, Daphne.” Draco said standing up with his wand still in his hand. “I’m coming Harry so don’t-”

“I know, I know.” Harry interrupted him quickly. He walked over to Draco and kissed him full on the mouth. “We’re a team.” He said simply holding out Draco’s shield cloak for him to take.

Draco took it from him but Harry held on to the end for just a second too long and looked into Draco’s eyes. “Just- just be safe OK. I can’t lose you.” He said quietly.

“I don’t plan on going anywhere.” Draco said calmly, trying to ignore the burning sensation on his hands. “But Harry, don’t do anything rash OK? I can’t lose you either.” He said quietly back.

Harry swallowed thickly and nodded. “Come on, let’s go.”

*~*

They apparatted straight to the back of the shop under their cloaks and went inside. Straight away they saw Fred waving his wand at the door to the shop section of the building and George banging on it calling out.

“Daphne! Daphne, can you hear me?”

“What’s going on?” Harry said stepping forward in a commanding way. This was auror Harry in action and so far he seemed calm and in control.

“The shop floor is locked down and warded tightly, we can’t get in the front or back doors.” Fred started explaining to Harry and then looked over his shoulder to Draco.

Draco suddenly became aware that this was the first time he’d seen Fred since Harry’s revelation and he had been determined to give him at least a small amount of grief for a little while but now hardly seemed the time. He was here to help, he was a part of their team too and he was George’s twin who seemed just as worried about Daphne as he was.

Fred looked straight at Draco. “It’s your Mother Draco, she’s in there.”

Draco had known it somehow before Fred had even said it but he didn’t understand how he knew. He didn’t know how to respond just then, he seemed to have frozen.

Harry responded for him. “You saw her?” He asked Fred.

Fred turned his attention back on Harry. “Yeh we felt the band first and rushed to our shop window and then saw her go in but-” He cut himself off frowning for a moment.

“But?” Harry prompted as George took over from Fred with wand work trying to get into the door. 

“Well it was funny, she actually turned her head to our shop just as we were opening the door and- well she smiled at us, like in a nice way… it was weird.” Fred said, confused. “We rushed over the street as she came into this shop to follow her, we saw Daphne through the shop window drawing her wand but Narcissa was too quick. She went into the shop and sealed the door after her, we couldn’t get in. All we could do was watch as she disarmed Daphne and pulled down all the shutters. We’ve tried everything but the whole room is warded shut you can’t apparate in either.”

Harry didn’t say anything but he just immediately stepped forward to the shop door and George stepped back to give him space to work. Harry was waving his wand over the door muttering diagnostic spells and unlocking spells, mostly things that Draco didn’t recognise but the door would sometimes glow different colours or rattle in it’s frame. Harry was reaching out with his left hand too as if he was just trying to feel the magic.

Just then Blaise came in through the back door. Apparently he’d been there for a while too as he didn’t seem to need catching up. “Graham has gone to help Verity at your shop. I still can’t get through the front, any luck with the back?” He said to the twins as he clutched Draco’s shoulder by way of greeting. Blaise looked serious and worried.

Fred shook his head but motioned towards Harry who was still trying. Draco still didn’t know what to do. Why was he so useless? Why could he not think? Harry stopped what he was doing and stepped forward to address the group.

“I think I can break through the wards and apparate in.” He said quietly and seriously.

Blaise immediately perked up. “That’s great Harry, do it.”

George however did not look convinced but didn’t say anything, he seemed torn. Fred looked outright angry and immediately rounded on Harry. “No fucking way Harry, you promised you’d never pull shit like that again. I won’t let you do it.”

Fred had come to stand so close to Harry that Draco was tempted to hex him back to a safe distance from his boyfriend. For fuck’s sake Draco, pull yourself together this is not the time to get jealous.

Harry turned towards Fred and spoke quietly. “I know Fred but if I can do it then the wards will be broken and really easy for you to penetrate. Then you can all come in and save Daphne.”

“What happens to you?” Draco said quietly, finally finding his voice and looking at Harry with a mixture of emotions running through him. 

Harry moved passed Fred and came to stand in front of Draco. He looked into his eyes and spoke only to him as if there was no one else there. “I’ll be fine I promise, I just will likely pass out that’s all. It takes a lot out of me, you remember, like that time at home? I won’t be much help after it today but you have people around you, you will be able to get inside and then you can act together.”

“That’s a lie.” Fred said angrily from near the door where George was pressed up against still trying to hear anything from the other side.

Draco frowned at Harry and turned to Fred. “Tell me.” He demanded.

“Last time he did it he nearly died. He used every last ounce of magic he had which drained him and the effort raised his heart rate to a dangerous level. He was in St Mungos for a week and he promised to never try it again.” Fred said as if remembering a painful time.

“But it worked didn’t it?” Harry said bitterly, looking down. “I broke the wards and apparated that girl to safety, she could have died without me.”

“No.” Draco said simply. He ignored the pain in his blistered hand and raised it to Harry’s chin forcing his face upwards. “No. I’m not risking your life, do you hear me? You’re not doing it.”

“What about Daphne’s life?” Harry said, waving his hand towards the door. “I mean the room is silenced right? Anything could be happening to her in there, we need to get in. What if that’s Lucius polyjuiced as your mother.”

George groaned and pounded the door harder trying to kick it down too but then cursed and held his foot. Blaise looked like he might be sick. Draco however was thinking.

Harry carried on. “If you won’t let me try and get in there then I think we should call the aurors in.”

“No.” Draco said firmly. “It’s not him.”

Everyone turned to look at him but he kept his focus on Harry. “These must be really powerful locks right? It’s pretty complicated magic to ward the whole room like that and for us not to be able to get in?”

Harry nodded his head slowly.

“Then it’s mother.” He said determinedly. “I look like my father but my brains are all from my mother fortunately. She’s clever and she’s more powerful than people think. Lucius isn’t actually that good at spells really. He can duel adequately and he knows dark offensive magic but this, I don’t think he’d know how to do this.” He said, waving his hand at the room. “Plus he wouldn’t have smiled at the twins.”

Blaise was nodding along in agreement and George looked relieved.

“OK.” Harry said slowly. “So that’s good right, your mother wouldn’t hurt Daphne?” He said it like he wasn’t sure if it was a statement or a question.

Draco shook his head. “No, she would never hurt her. She’s likely just talking to her, after information on me and doesn’t want to be interrupted.”

Just then a bright green light shone from Draco’s office through the open door. Draco stared at it for a moment having completely forgotten about it but he felt relief rushing through him once more.

“What’s that?” Harry asked him.

Draco turned to address Harry again with a tiny flicker of a smile in his expression. “It’s our code, I set it up right at the beginning. Green means it’s safe. She’s telling us she’s OK.”

“Are you serious?” George stepped forward and spoke for the first time. 

“Absolutely, it has to be her that triggered it and she could have easily sent the amber or red light but she didn’t.” Draco explained to the group. 

“Oh thank Merlin.” George said as he sunk to the floor. Fred knelt down next to him and pulled him into a hug. George had clearly been quite shaken up, Draco hadn’t realised he cared that much about Daphne.

“So what do we do then?” Harry said, still clearly a little frustrated. “We just wait? I can get Ron here with a team, we can still try and get in.”

Draco looked at Harry seriously. “No, please don’t. I know it’s stupid but I know in my gut that it’s Mother and I just don’t want to call the aurors until I know more about the situation. Mother won’t do anything rash, she has probably been planning this and waiting for the right time to slip past Lucius. I say we just wait for them to finish talking. Mother will release the locks when she’s ready and then Daphne will tell us what’s going on.”

There were a few moments of silence where the others looked at each other for a bit and then looked at Harry. Harry looked back at Draco. “It’s your call, your business, your family. If that’s what you want to do then I’ll support you.”

“Thank you.” Draco said softly.

Then Harry turned back to the others. “But we still need to be on high alert for anything and we need eyes on the front too. Fred, can you keep watch from across the road maybe take Blaise with you?”

Blaise was nodding but Fred and George hesitated. “I can go with Fred?” George suggested.

“I was kind of hoping you could heal Draco while we wait.” Harry said to him. “You’re the best healer.”

“Heal what?” George said, confused until Draco sighed and held up his hands. Then he turned his head and pulled back his top slightly to reveal his neck.

“Oh.” George said, surprised. “Sorry mate I hadn’t noticed but yeah sure. Burns from a cauldron explosion?” Draco nodded. “Right then, I’ve got some amazing salve. I’ll nip and get it.”

Fred hesitated slightly, still looking at Harry but then he turned to Draco. “Make sure he doesn’t do anything stupid.” He said, gesturing to Harry.

“I will.” Draco said, giving a knowing look to Harry and then nodded at Fred. “Thanks for being here.” He said politely. 

“Of course.” Fred said back with a smile. “We’ll keep an eye on the front and let you know if we see anything then and, well, just keep us posted will you?”

“Will do.” Harry replied before Draco got a chance and nodded back at Fred too and then Blaise.

“I hope you’re right about this Dray, but I trust you.” Blaise said with a hand on Draco’s shoulder. “Press the bands if you need us and we’ll come straight away. I’ll probably pop back and forth for an update anyway.”

“Thanks.” Draco mumbled at him too and then the three of them were gone and it was just him and Harry standing there.

Harry clearly hadn’t fully relaxed and had gone back to flinging spells at the door in desperation. Draco didn’t feel very relaxed either. What if he’d made the wrong call? What if Harry was right and they should be calling the aurors? What if Daphne was in danger?

Just then the green light behind him in his office shone out again. Draco immediately checked the cloak on his office wall that he’d remembered seeing when the first light shone. Daphne had sent the signal exactly five minutes later to let them know she was OK. Draco sighed with relief for the second time but he still felt worried, still felt anxious and he hated his anxiety. He needed Harry, he needed his new source of reassurance, his new source of comfort. Except he was slightly mad at him.

“You lied to me.” He stated flatly.

Harry stopped what he was doing, sighed and turned round. “Not exactly.” He said slowly.

“Oh don’t give me that crap Harry. If Fred hadn’t been here to tell me what actually might happen to you then I might have let you break in there and kill yourself.” Draco said annoyed.

Harry stepped forward quickly and placed one hand on the back of Draco’s neck draping his arm around the uninjured side. 

“OK, I know.” Harry said simply looking into Draco’s eyes. “I’m sorry, I am. I don’t want to lie to you, I want you to trust me. I’m still messing up and I’m still learning but I swear to you I am listening and I’m trying.” He said rubbing the soft skin at the base of Draco’s neck in a soothing way like he knew Draco liked.

“Before I would have just gone charging straight in not even thinking, I would have just acted… but today I did stop, I did think. I told you my idea, gave us the opportunity to discuss it and I listened when you said no. That’s progress for me.” Harry said with a kind of feeble smile. “And you know what made me do that?”

Draco shook his head slowly just looking at Harry’s beautiful bright eyes.

“You.” Harry said quietly pressing his forehead against Draco’s. “I never cared before whether I lived or died, not really. I know that might be selfish, I know there are people in my life that would care but I guess I’m only just realising how much. I would always value anyone else’s life above my own, risk my life for a complete stranger and… well I’m not saying I wouldn’t now exactly but I’d at least stop and think about it because…” Harry swallowed thickly. “Because I don’t want to leave you. Because I, er, I think you’d be... upset if I died or I was hurt and I never want to upset you. I want to be here for you, I want to be alive for you.”

Draco closed the gap between them and kissed Harry lightly on the lips. “I would be more than upset you idiot.” He closed his eyes, took a deep breath and willed himself to control his emotions, not quite telling Harry that he’d be heartbroken and empty. 

When he opened them again he spoke in a calm controlled way, that was the way he needed to be right now. “Thank you for listening, for working together and for not risking your life. I suppose, for you, that is a significant improvement.” He added with a slight smile at his lips.

Just then George returned through the back door. He looked at them and hesitated slightly. “I’m sorry, am I interrupting?” He said with a slightly raised eyebrow but he still looked too worried to sport his usual amused look. 

Draco shook his head and Harry stepped away. “No, you are welcome, these are actually really starting to hurt.” Draco said lifting his hands that he’d deliberately kept by his side and not touching Harry.

He could be strong when he needed to be and the adrenaline had kept him going so far but he wasn’t actually very good with pain and his hands were burning so much that it was beginning to make him feel sick.

“You may as well sit Draco.” Harry said nodding to the office and Draco nodded and then went to take a seat at his desk.

He placed his hands carefully on the desk and George sat opposite and started to heal him. He cast a numbing charm on the affected areas on his hands and neck and then he started applying the salve to the skin that Draco could no longer feel.

Draco looked at the cloak again and spoke to George. “Daphne sent the signal again exactly five minutes later. I say we just kept checking the time but if it ever passes five minutes and we haven’t had the green light then we call the aurors. What do you think?” He said first asking George and then looking at Harry.

Then both looked at each other and nodded and then looked back to Draco. 

“Sounds like a good plan.” George said quietly, continuing to work on the burns. 

Once the burns ointment had been applied to the skin liberally he bandaged Draco’s hands in murtlap soaked bandages and then placed a dressing on Draco’s neck too. “They should be fine by tomorrow, the numbing charm will wear off in a few minutes. I guess I don’t need to tell you about pain potions, presumably if you want one you’ve got them.” He said casually.

“Thanks.” Draco said sincerely. “Guess there is nothing to do now but wait.” He sighed wondering for the hundredth time if Daphne really was OK and what on earth his mother was saying to her.

*~* 

The green light continued to flash in the office every five minutes without fail, which was the only thing that stopped any of them from losing their minds with worry. It was half an hour, two cups of soothing chamomile tea and three visits from Blaise later that they heard any sign of movement.

Draco had somehow ended up sitting on Harry’s lap who was now occupying his desk chair but both of them stiffened up and turned towards the source of the noise. He was sure he’d heard the shop door open and close again.

George, who was nearest the open office door suddenly shot up and threw his arms around a figure that had just appeared in the doorway.

“Thank God you’re alright.” He mumbled into a long wave of golden hair then he pulled back and kissed Daphne passionately. 

If it was any other time Draco would be thinking about the fact that this was the first time he’d actually seen them together and how good they looked but right now all he could think of was that Daphne was alright.

“I’m fine sweetie.” He heard Daphne’s familiar voice say softly as he jumped off Harry’s lap and felt Harry stand up behind him.

Daphne separated herself from George and stepped into the room closing the office door behind her. Then she turned back towards Draco who immediately threw his arms around her too. 

“You’re OK.” He said flatly, holding her close in a rare voluntary embrace.

“Draco, I’m fine, really I’m- that’s too tight.” She squealed out.

“Sorry.” He mumbled letting her go.

Just then a beautiful silvery stag bounded past him that almost took Draco’s breath away but it was gone before he knew it and he was left wondering if he’d really seen it. He turned to look at Harry behind him who had his wand drawn.

“Only spell I need a wand for.” He muttered and then immediately answered Draco’s unasked question. “Just letting Blaise and Fred know you’re OK.” He addressed Daphne. “Where is Narcissa?” He said in a more commanding tone.

Auror Potter was back in charge now it seemed. Daphne unanswered Harry’s question but she looked at Draco as she did so. “Your mother is here. She just wants to talk and I think you should listen.”

Harry immediately strolled past Draco like a man on a mission but paused when he reached the door and then turned back. “Sorry.” He said looking down at the floor. “How do you want to play this?” He said to Draco.

Draco forced himself to take a moment to gather himself and as he did so the back door opened once more allowing Blaise to stroll in with Fred just behind.

Blaise was the third man to throw his arms around Daphne in as many minutes but George didn’t seem to mind as Fred clapped him on the back looking just as relieved as everyone else to see Daphne unharmed.

“So what’s going on now?” Blaise asked the question on everyone’s mind.

Daphne separated herself from Blaise and came over to hold Draco’s hand. “It really is her Draco and she’s her of her own volition, Lucius isn’t behind this.” 

She looked over to Harry who had come to stand close beside Draco, his hand on the small of his back steadying him. “I asked her things only she would know about conversations we’ve had and I can tell by her mannerisms. She surrendered her wand to me just now after unlocking the door.” Then she held the wand out for Draco to take.

“She’s in there still?” Draco said quietly to Daphne as he took the familiar wand from her and ran his fingers over it.

Daphne nodded gently. “She told me everything and I believe her Draco but you should hear it from her. She’s not here to hurt you, she’s here because she misses you and she cares about you darling.”

Then she turned back to Harry. “She’s not a threat and neither is Lucius now apparently, not in any immediate way at least. I think we should just let them talk.”

No one else had said a word yet, everyone was still processing the information but Draco was most of all. 

Daphne took the silence as her cue to carry on. “Just hear her out Draco. We’ll be right across the road when you need us.” She said kindly before reaching up and giving him a platonic kiss on the cheek.

Words wouldn’t form on his lips but he nodded slowly, he trusted Daphne and there was part of him that really wanted to see his mother. Daphne took his acceptance and backed away. Then she turned to the door and motioned to the others to follow her. George put an arm around her shoulders and kissed the top of her head as they walked out the door first. Fred followed but Blaise hoovered just long enough to hear Draco’s words to Harry.

“Will you- will you stay with me?” He said to the man standing besides him, supporting him as always.

“Of course Draco, if that’s what you want.” Harry said tenderly.

Blaise placed his hand on Draco’s shoulder once more and squeezed it lightly before following the others out the door and closing it behind him. It was just Harry and Draco in the office now. Draco turned his body towards Harry and carefully placed his bandaged hands on Harry’s hips. 

“I- I don’t want Mother to know about us yet, not even as friends. I need to know I can trust her before I reveal our connection but I- I would feel better just- just knowing you’re here.” He said quietly to Harry laning down to place his forehead on his.

Harry nodded against Draco’s head. “Me too, thank you.” He said quietly back. Then Harry straightened up to look into Draco’s eyes. “I’ll be under the cloak and I won’t intervene but I’ll be right here if you need me.”

It was Draco’s turn to nod now but he didn’t speak. His throat was still dry and his head felt foggy, he was working hard to keep it clear. Harry reached up to kiss him and then stepped back pulling the thin material off the back of Draco’s chair and throwing it over himself disappearing into his surroundings.

Draco took a deep breath, he could do this. Harry was here with him, he could do anything with Harry here. He tucked his mother’s wand underneath the holster on his left arm for safekeeping feeling stronger in the fact that he could defend himself easily if he needed to. He mustered all the courage he had and turned towards the door. 

*~*

The door to his shop was closed again but he knew now that it was unlocked. As he opened it he immediately saw his mother standing in the middle of the room and their eyes met straight away. He’d gone much longer than this without seeing her whilst he was in France so why did this reunion feel so momentous? Why did he suddenly feel like he’d missed her more than he’d care to admit?

He was frozen in time, not knowing how to act around this woman anymore even though he’d known her all his life. For some reason she did not seem to know how to react to him either. Her hand reached out towards him even though she was too far away to touch him but then thought better of it and returned her arm to her side.

She straightened up and returned to her more regal stiff posture that was so familiar but Draco could see the cracks in her mask as she spoke. “Draco dear, it is good to see you. Thank you for agreeing to see me.”

Just like that Draco slipped back into his familiar Malfoy manner that he hadn’t had to adopt in weeks. “You’re welcome Mother. It is good to see you too.” Was his instinctive formal response. 

It was strange now, this Malfoy personna, like putting on someone else’s skin and this was coming from a man who adopted a different disguise two days a week. These past six weeks he had been relaxing more and more, becoming himself totally and completely for the first time… well, ever and now he was suddenly transported into the past which was not a nice place to be for Draco.

“Is there somewhere we can go to talk?” She asked him.

Without a verbal response Draco gestured towards the back of the property. Then he turned on his heels and walked regally back towards his office leaving the door open for her to follow him which she did. He stood waiting for her by his desk, he still had his manners after all. As she approached the chair nearest the door he pulled it out for her. Once she had elegantly occupied it he went round to his chair and took a seat as well.

He managed to maintain his composure when he felt Harry’s invisible hand come to rest on his shoulder and squeeze in affectionately in silent support, just letting him know that he was there.

“Does father know you’re here?” He said forgetting in his mother’s presence to call him Lucius as all his old automatic Malfoy responses came to the surface.

“No he doesn’t, not here specifically anyway.” She said quietly.

“But he knows you’re meeting me, or trying to at least?” Draco questioned, knowing his mother’s way with words and how her mind works.

“Yes.” She said simply. “I have been leaving the Manor here and there to search for you with his… support but so far I have managed to lead him on a false trail on your whereabouts. He knows nothing of the shop.”

Draco wasn’t quite sure how to respond to that at first, he’d never known his mother to lie to her husband before and he wasn’t sure what it meant for him. “H-how… why?” He stuttered out his Malfoy mask crumbling now. He wasn’t used to holding it up anymore and found it too exhausting.

“I will tell you everything, just as I told Miss Greengrass.” His mother said calmly. “I hope you take it as well as she did, she’s… quite a remarkable woman.”

“I’m not marrying her so-” Draco started to say but his mother silenced him effectively by simply raising her hand.

“I’m not asking you to.” She said quickly. “I was merely making an observation that's all. She told me she is a dear friend of yours and I hope that is true. You deserve to have someone looking out for you in- in a way that I have failed to do so.”

Just for a moment he had thought he heard a hint of emotion in her voice during her confession. It was true really, she had failed him. He had often thought so if he was honest and was still rather bitter towards her for it. He had frequently wondered why he wasn’t a good enough son that she would always side with Lucius over him. She had always put her wifely duties above her motherly duties. He’d always wanted her to just be a mother to him, to just show him some kind of affection. At times he had blamed himself, at times he had blamed her but mostly he had blamed Lucius as that was easier.

He realised he was taking too long to reply when he felt Harry’s hand on his shoulder again giving it a gentle rub. Truthfully he wasn’t sure how to respond to his mother’s confession so he just buried his emotions once more and addressed her earlier comments.

“Yes, Daphne is one of my very best friends as well as my employee and I am lucky to have her.” Draco said sincerely.

There was silence for a short time whilst he watched his mother summon her courage and waited for her next words.

“Draco…” She started slowly before taking another deep breath and speaking more openly than Draco had ever heard her. “For what it is worth I am sorry. I don’t expect your forgiveness, I don’t ask for it but I am sorry nonetheless. I always prided myself on my self-preservation, I thought it was my greatest strength but I realise now that I was just mistaking it for cowardice. I was doing what I thought I had to do but I- I never stood up to him for you, not as I should have done, not until recently anyway but that is changing now. I know it’s too late, I know you probably think you’re a man now who doesn’t need his mother but I would like to be there for you now, if you’ll let me.”

Draco’s voice was caught in his throat and in his lap his hands were shaking in a way that had nothing to do with his injury. There were tears threatening to spill over in his eyes but he wouldn’t let them fall here, not now. The only thing that kept him strong was that firm, manly comforting hand on his shoulder. His own personal hero was here.

“W-why- why now?” He just managed to ask in a dry crackly voice.

Narcissa was thinking about that for a moment, her posture never faltered as she sat there. “I’m not making excuses but your father and I are both products of our environment, it was just the way we were raised.” Funny, Draco thought to himself, hadn’t he said the same thing on that first conversation with Harry? 

She went on. “I’ve never known how to be a good mother as I never had one myself just as your father never had a good role model of fatherhood either. My mother never taught me what motherhood was all about, all she ever emphasised was how to be a good wife- a perfect pureblood wife, those were the lessons I had. I was raised to believe that was my purpose and that my priority was my marriage. Just as your father was raised to believe that his title, his position and his reputation were the most important things in life. It was the way each of our parents were raised and it goes back further and further. It’s just always been the way of things… but you-”

Draco found his mother's blue eyes turning soft as she gazed upon him with… admiration. “You broke the cycle.” She said simply. “I saw it the day you moved out. You stood up to your father, to the system, you had a glimpse of what your life would be like and decided it wouldn’t make you happy so you left to make your own life and I… I admire you greatly for that and that’s why I helped you that day.”

“I- I… thank you.” Draco said as he couldn’t decide what else to say. “And since that day?” He prompted.

“Since that day your father has been getting steadily more… incensed and obsessive.” She clarified. “He was angry beyond belief, I don’t think he ever expected you to go to such lengths. He always thought you would obey him no matter what. It triggered an… unpleasant side of him. He was angry with me too of course, it is the only time I have ever raised my wand to him. I promised him that I would find you and bring you home to make amends and he said it was a task best suited to me, which he was right about of course. Your father has never been as clever as he thinks he is, but then I’m sure you already know that.”

Draco snorted to confirm that he did. Narcissa chose to ignore it. 

“His anger blinds him most of the time., he is too consumed by his own rage that he can’t see what is in front of him and I knew I could use that to my advantage. I knew I could find you. I wasn’t quite sure what I would do when I did but I wanted to keep my options open so I gave him false reports on my progress and he believed everything. As time went on it became much easier truth be told. Your father… he is not what he was. I do not say this to make you feel guilty, it is simply the truth but your… betrayal as he saw it, I think it was the final straw to his already fragile mental state. He’s not been right for years. He lost all his purpose after the war. While you were in France he was barely living, just existing. When you returned he had his heir back, not his son I’ll admit, I know he’s only ever seen you as his heir and I am sorry for that too. However, rightly or wrongly, having his heir back gave his life purpose again and he pinned all hopes of restoring the Malfoy family honour on you. So when you gave up the Malfoy name, it destroyed him. He’s not well.” His mother said flatly. 

“I’m not sorry.” Draco said quickly. “The Malfoy name is dirt. The whole pureblood culture of raising your children, those expectations… it’s disgusting and it should be left in the past, all of it. I don’t want it.”

“I happen to agree with you, it just took me much longer to see it I’m ashamed to say.” Her whole expression had softened now and she was looking at Draco… well, the way a mother should look at her son. “I’m not asking you to be sorry Draco, I am merely giving you the facts.”

Draco took this in for a moment, it was significant to say the least. “And now?” He asked before clarifying his question. “You said you weren’t sure what you would do once you found me, do you know now?”

“I knew the second I saw this shop, Draco.” She said softly. “Daphne told you that I came to the shop a couple of weeks ago?”

Draco nodded but said nothing.

“I have been returning to some of my old ladies circles, lunch dates, shopping trips, that sort of thing.” She explained. “Just trying to keep my ear to the ground and pick up anything new. It was hard at first, I feel like an outsider now and many of my old friends are long gone but I managed to pick up little things here and there from conversations and magazines. I started hearing lots of positive things about a certain new french potions and perfume shop that had recently opened up in Diagon Alley so I decided to check it out. As soon as I walked in I could see you all over the place, in your design, your drawings, your labelling.”

“I thought you might hear about it and be able to work it out.” Draco said honestly. “It was always a risk but… I suppose part of me was sort of hoping that you’d work it out so that you knew where I was but you’d manage to keep the knowledge away from him.”

Narcissa opened her mouth to say something and then thought better of it and closed it again. She hesitated and then suddenly seemed to no longer keep up her emotionless facade when she did finally speak. 

“Draco this business you have built for yourself here… it’s magnificent and- and I’m so proud of you.” She said choking back a single tear that was just forming in the corner of her eye.

The sight was too much for Draco, he’d never seen his mother cry. He’d also never heard those words and he had been so longing to hear them for years. She was proud of him, of his business. It was too much. 

Then the tears that he’d been holding back could be held back no longer. He felt the comforting hand of Harry rubbing the base of his neck in his favourite way and getting tangled in the ends of his platinum locks as he wiped away the tears that had fallen on his cheeks. His mother stretched out her hand on he desk as a fragile invitation. Draco hesitated but only for a second as his instinct took over and he delicately placed a bandaged hand in hers. She looked at the bandages and then very carefully put her other hand over the top cupping his hand in both of hers but she didn’t say anything about his obvious injuries. 

“I’m leaving your father.” She said boldly at the sight of her son's tears. “I should have done it years ago, maybe life could have been different for us if I had but there’s no use looking back. You seem to be able to look to the future, as you should. You are young and you are immensely talented, you can have any future you want and you have inspired me to take mine while I still can.”

“You’re- you’re leaving father? As in divorce?” Draco said blinking in surprise. “He’ll never accept that, how…?” He left his question dangling in the air.

“He doesn’t have much choice and is incapable of doing anything now. I told you Draco, he’s not well.” She said firmly. “I have delayed this meeting until such a time where his mental state has worsened significantly. He no longer knows himself, he has delusions and hallucinations. He gets confused, doesn’t always know what year it is or what’s happening. It’s got to the stage now where he needs professional help, he is a danger to himself and others. I mean to send him to St. Mungos but yes I do also mean to divorce him.” 

“OK.” Draco said to himself. “OK” he repeated louder to no one in particular.

He felt a squeeze on his shoulder again. Harry. Could it be true? Could it be possible that him and Harry could finally live a life away from Lucius. They could send Lucius to St. Mungos where he would be the one monitored and controlled for once. He would not be able to get to them from there. They could be free of him. Draco could be free of him.

“I will support you in this Mother.” He said confidently. 

“Thank you, son.” She said looking at him fondly. “Tell me, are you Draco Black now?” She asked with a small smile creeping over her face.

“I am.” He said with a small smile of his own and her smile grew.

“So what now?” He asked. “Do we go to St. Mungos? Do we call the aurors?” 

Draco felt a strong squeeze on his shoulder at his second suggestion and suddenly he couldn’t take it anymore, he needed Harry. Harry would know what to do now, Harry could take over. Lucius be damned. He couldn’t do a thing about it at the moment anyway and Drcao was sick of hiding. If his mother was serious about being part of his life then she would have to get on board with it at some point anyway.

His mother was about to speak when he got in there first.

“Mother, there is something else you should know.” He said abruptly and she looked surprised. “I actually have someone who has been helping me a lot who might be of some assistance here.”

“That’s excellent news Draco.” She said sincerely. “Are you talking about Mr. Zabini?”

“No. Although he would likely find you a very good divorce lawyer so we can ask him about that.” Draco replied. “I have been living with an ex-auror who- now prepare yourself Mother, this is quite big news, but he also happens to be my boyfriend and I would like him to help. I don’t know where I’d be without his support over the past few weeks.” He rushed out all in one go before he could think better of it.

“Oh.” His mother said simply evidently surprised. Draco could tell by the frozen hand on his shoulder that she wasn’t the only one. 

She blinked in rapid succession for a moment before casually replying. “Well, if you think he can help then I trust your judgment, by all means call him.”

Wow, OK, that went better than expected, thought Draco. Although that was only surprise number one really.

“Well he’s actually already here.” Draco said, trying to push away his nerves. “And you might get a bit of a shock when you see who it is.”

“Draco dear, there is not much that can surprise me.” She said with a slightly raised eyebrow.

Draco bit back a smile. We’ll see, Mother. We’ll see.

“Harry?” He called out turning his head slightly to the left where he knew Harry was standing. 

Sure enough Harry appeared out of thin air folding up the material of his cloak in his hands as he did so. Draco kept his eyes fixed on his mother whose eyes went comically wide.

“M-Mr P-Potter.” She stuttered. 

Draco had never heard his mother stutter in his life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What do you think of the chat between Draco and his mother and the way it's going with Lucius?  
> Probably not as dramatic as some of you might have been exception but it's more a story of feelings and conversation not action/drama/angst.  
> Also, I didn't want to make it too predictable and have a showdown between Lucius, Harry and Draco like I've seen before.  
> I think it's nice that Narcissa gets to have her moment here and she can be the one to finally 'save' her son from his father.
> 
> I wonder what she'll think of Harry and Draco together?! :O


	29. Harry: Monday 24th October

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Starts just a little before the last chapter finished from Harry's point of view and goes from there to show what happens to Lucius.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Auror Ron here and a little glimpse of Auror Harry too, hope you enjoy their little moments.  
> Some cute little moments between Harry and Draco here of course as their relationship progresses and the others are... around!
> 
> Also how will Narcissa and Harry get along, what will her reaction be or will she even give one?!

Harry wasn’t really a crier, he tended to express his emotions in other ways (mainly by shouting and getting cross), but when he did cry it was usually sobs of despair. Today though, as he stood there invisible witnessing his personal conversation between Draco and his mother, he felt tears build up in his eyes. These were tears of pride for his amazingly strong boyfriend. Tears of finally witnessing a mother’s love for her son, something which he was sad that Draco had never experienced before and something that made him miss his own mother.

He watched as Draco tried to fight back his own tears but failed and at one point he even thought he saw one in Narcissa’s eye. He’d never felt such empathy before and he was finding it hard not to just throw his arms around Draco but he had to remind himself that Draco did not want him to be seen which is understandable. It’s a privilege really just to be here, this is a private moment and part of him felt like he was intruding but Draco had asked him to stay and that meant a lot to him. So all he did was gently rub the base of his neck in a soothing motion, he’d learnt that Draco liked that and hoped it was welcome now.

As he listened to the conversation he tried to convince Draco silently that the aurors were the right choice but he knew it wasn’t his decision, not unless Draco wanted it to be. Suddenly just as he thought he couldn’t be more proud of Draco he was telling his mother all about him, about them. He couldn’t believe it. He never expected Draco to say it, he knew how private he was and he knew he wouldn’t tell his mother unless this was real, unless this really meant something to him. 

Then there was that warm familiar voice aimed in his direction now. “Harry?”

He knew then that he had to pull himself together. Draco was calling for him and he had to be there just like he promised he would. Draco had been so strong telling his mother, he’d been amazing. This was Harry’s time to be strong too, for both of them. Besides, there was a little part of him that wanted to see Narcissa’s face.

So he did it, he pulled off the cloak to reveal himself placing his hand back on Draco’s shoulder after he folded up the material of the cloak without taking his eyes off the elegant pale, blonde woman in front of him. She definitely looked surprised which was quite funny really.

“M-Mr P-Potter.” She stuttered looking up at him wide side blue eyes.

“Hello Mrs. Malfoy, good to see you.” He said politely.

She took a moment to recover her surprise glancing at the hand on Draco’s shoulder and then back up at Harry. Then a small smile appeared at the corner of her mouth. “No, Mr Potter.” She said with a mischievous look that reminded him of Daphne. “It’s Ms Black now, like my son.” She said looking straight at Draco.

It was Harry’s turn to smile now. “Very well Ms Black.”

Harry knew Draco’s relationship with his mother was complicated but he’d seen enough to know that she did love him. If she was truly ready to leave Lucius then he would welcome her into their lives for Draco if that’s what he wanted. Everyone deserves to have the love of their mother even if she had made at least a few mistakes in her life.

There was a slight moment where the three of them exchanged slightly nervous glances but Draco had been holding himself together for too long it seemed and seeing Harry there he looked like he needed the physical comfort he had recently learnt to accept. He stood up suddenly and threw his arms around Harry. It took him by surprise but he accepted it nonetheless wrapping his arms around Draco too and rubbed his back. Draco nuzzled into his neck and whimpered slightly. Harry hadn’t expected him to be so open in front of his mother, it really wasn’t like him but then he had been changing recently for the better. He was more open, more honest, more himself and it was good to see that his mother’s presence hadn’t sent him backwards.

“It’s OK. I’m here.” He said quietly into Draco’s ear. “I’m here for whatever you need.”

Draco took a deep breath and separated himself from Harry having gathered the strength he needed from him. “I got the impression you still want to involve the aurors?” He asked him.

Narcissa was quiet, just watching them and taking it in.

“Yes.” Harry responded simply. He looked to each of them in turn as he explained himself. “I’ve seen Death Eaters and ex-snatchers lose their minds, it’s common, PTSD to the extreme I guess. Often they feel guilty for what they’ve done and it tears them apart. We had to take a few of the ones we rounded up to St. Mungos. One of them if still there I believe. They’re good there, they’ll know what to do. The trouble is a private referral is complicated and can take time. They’ll have to assess him at home first and I don’t think we can risk that. We need to contain Lucius today.”

He turned specifically to Narcissa. “If you don’t return to him he might really lose it and it would be dangerous.”

She nodded. “Yes, that is true. I admit I haven’t quite thought this part through exactly but I had thought it would be wise to return to him within a couple of hours and stay until he is secured somewhere.”

“No.” Draco said. “I don’t want you to go back to him. Please.” He added quietly.

“I have nowhere else to go.” She replied in a sombre tone.

“That’s not entirely true.” Harry said quickly before he could stop himself. She turned to look at him in surprise once more. He hadn’t really thought this through and he couldn’t exactly stop and discuss it with the other people involved now. He hesitated slightly and glanced at Draco who didn’t look convinced but he gave one short sharp nod anyway.

“Firstly, you can stay with us if you need to.” He said simply giving himself a moment to prepare this next sentence. “Secondly you do have a family member who has wanted to reconnect with you for a long time.”

Draco turned to look at him in surprise too with a slight confused look on his face. Harry hadn’t told him yet of the conversation he’d had with Dromeda, he had been saving it for the right moment.

Narcissus opened her mouth to speak and then closed it again. She looked strangely unsure of herself but still ever dignified. “Do you- do you mean… you can’t possibly mean..” She started but trailed off.

“Your sister.” Harry finished for her.

“But how could you…?” She started again looking at him as Draco sunk back into the chair by his desk.

“I am close to her.” Harry clarified. “I am helping her raise her grandson Teddy, I’m his Godfather. Over the past few years she has been almost like a mother to me. Family means everything to her and I know she will want to help you. She told me that she wrote to you after the war wanting to reconnect and that she received a Narcissus flower in response.”

Harry paused for a moment wondering how much he could say but the look in her eye told him to continue. “Forgive me Ms Black if I am being too bold but it seemed to me that maybe you wanted to reconnect with her too but you couldn’t because of Lucius? Well now might be a good time. I spoke to her about it only last week as I was hoping to introduce Draco to his family too.”

He looked at Draco and placed a hand back on his shoulder. He squeezed it gently trying to say everything he couldn’t put into words at this moment. He received a soft look of gratitude from him in return.

“I know that she hasn’t changed her mind.” Harry said stubbornly back to Draco’s mother. “I’m sure you could stay with her if you wanted but like I said there is our place too if you’d prefer. So you have options.”

“I- I didn’t think I had any family left.” She said quietly, swallowing thickly. 

“Well you were wrong.” Harry said boldly with a smile. “You have a son, you have a sister and a great nephew… and you have me and Draco’s friends too. We’re sort of a team.” He said smiling down fondly at Draco who had reached up to place his hands on Harry’s.

Harry continued. “Plus I have the aurors and the Ministry on my side, our side. They’ll help us with this, I know it. I know Draco has reservations about getting them involved and I understand that but if we tell them the situation, explaining that Lucius tried to use an unforgivable on his son, they can get him into St. Mungos today. He can be secure by nightfall and then if you wish you can stay at your home too, safe. We’ll all be safe and he will be safe too. Like you said, he’s a danger to himself and others”

Draco was processing this and it seemed like he had made up his mind. Harry recognised that steely look of determination. “Mother?” He asked, looking at her again.

Narcissa had a lot to process too, she was clearly thinking but after a while she started nodding slowly. “This is all very unexpected.” She said tentatively, then she looked at her son once more with a sparkle in her eye. “It seems like you’ve done well for yourself Draco, Mr Potter is as… impressive as always I see.” She said with a small smile.

“I didn’t think I would have… options, as you put it.” She said looking now at Harry. “But I find myself grateful for them, thank you.”

She directed her attention back to Draco. “I understand why you would be reluctant to involve the Ministry, I must admit I was too but it would be wise to get your father secure as soon as possible.”

“He’s not my father.” Draco said bitterly.

“Lucius then.” Narcissa corrected herself. “If the aurors can get Lucius admitted today then it might be prudent to use them.”

“It would be better in the long run too.” Harry said hoping again he wasn’t overstepping but wanting to try and persuade them that this really was the best option. He wanted justice for Draco and Lucius deserved to be locked up. “He will be secured as a criminal not just as a patient. Either he’ll be a permanent resident of St. Mungos or if he gets better then he will be arrested and tried for his crimes instead of just released from hospital care. Also if he is a criminal then it would help your divorce case immensely, he wouldn’t have any rights so you could probably get your inheritance back Draco, if you wanted it.”

“I don’t care about the money but it would be better for Mother and I want a permanent freedom from Lucius not just a temporary one. Perhaps we should involve the aurors.” Draco admitted.

“Yes let’s.” Narcissa stated with an air of finality.

Harry was relieved, this was the only way to ensure that Lucius really would never be free to exert his control over Draco ever again. He had always hoped that he could lead Lucius to the aurors but he knew he’d never do it without Draco’s permission. He launched into his plan thinking it through as he went like usual. 

“Draco, why don’t you take your mother back to Grimmauld. Ask Kreacher to fix up some refreshments. I think you could both use it and take the others too. They’ll be worrying and they’ll want to be involved. You could use the support too and we’ll need Blaise at the very least.” He suggested. “I’ll go ahead to the Ministry. I could summon them from here but I think you could do with some time to collect yourself before you have to face Ron. Let me explain the situation to him first, just about Lucius, I won’t tell him about us being together until you’re ready.”

Draco said nothing but he nodded giving his permission which was all Harry needed. 

“I’ll bring the aurors to you at Grimmauld. They’ll need to take statements from you both and Blaise as well if he’s willing. A character witness from Daphne wouldn’t hurt either. I expect Ron will send a team directly to bring Lucius in anyway. It’s what I would do but he might prefer to wait for evidence first. I suppose that’s up to him.” Harry rubbed the top of Draco’s back. “It will be a long afternoon but you’ve been amazing so far, you can do it.” He bent down to kiss the top of Draco’s head. “Just plenty more chamomile tea.” He mumbled affectionately into Draco’s hair as he straightened up.

There was a short pause before Narcissa breathed out a long sigh. “Chamomile tea sounds lovely.”

*~*

It always took Harry a while to walk through the Ministry, everyone wanted to stop and talk to him, so he was grateful for the cloak on his visit today. Fortunately there was no one around in the corridor outside the Head Auror’s office to hear his knock on the door. He always still knocked, it was only polite.

“Come in.” Came Ron’s familiar voice muffled through the door. It sounded like his mouth was half full, he was always eating something.

Harry glanced around once more to check the area but then pushed the door open and slipped through it. Ron looked up from his desk and briefly frowned at the door which appeared to have opened and closed by itself.

Then it clicked. “Harry?” 

Harry pulled the cloak off and hung it on the back of the door. Any other time he might have had some fun with it in Ron’s office but this was a serious visit.

“Hey.” He called out and then motioned to the spare seat at the desk. “May I?”

“Course mate, you’re always welcome.” He said cheerful wrapping the rest of his sandwich up and putting it in his drawer for later. “You’re saving me from an incredibly dull afternoon actually.”

“So you quiet today?” Harry asked. 

“Yeah, not much going on to be honest. Just had to tell the guys to use the day to catch up on paperwork, I suppose I should be leading by example but… you know.” He gestured sheepishly at his own rather large messy pile of paperwork.

“Good.” Harry said simply. “Because the afternoon is about to get a lot busier for you and the department, I’m afraid this isn’t a social call.”

Ron immediately straightened up and looked more serious. He always preferred to fool around but he took his job very seriously when it mattered. “What’s up mate, you OK?”

“Yeah I’m OK but… a friend of mine isn’t.” He said running his hand through his hair nervously.

“OK.” Ron said quickly. “Hit me with it.” 

“Well, it’s a long story and… you might be mad at me but maybe you can just focus on the job and be mad at me later?” Harry suggested tentatively.

Ron groaned and rolled his head back. “What have you done?”

“I haven’t done anything.” Harry said defensively. “I’ve just not exactly told you what’s been going on recently. I’m sorry, I really am, but someone needed help so I’ve been helping them. I tried to convince them to let me involve the aurors weeks ago but they didn’t want to and really it’s their business. I’ve just been trying to listen to them, to support them and… work as a team.” He said with a faint smile.

Ron was eyeing him suspiciously. “So let me get this straight, seven years in the aurors doing whatever the hell you liked and now you’ve left you’ve learnt how to be a team player?”

“Something like that.” Harry muttered.

Ron rolled his eyes and held back a remark reminding himself that he had a job to do. “So who is this person and why do they need our help?”

“His father is a manipulative bastard who has tried to control him his own life. He disowned himself to forge his own path and his father tried to Imperio him to forcibly submit him to his will and has been trying to track down his whereabouts ever since.” Harry explained bitterly.

“Oh shit.” Ron said calmly.

“Yeah.” Harry agreed.

“So we go and arrest this guy then?” Ron shrugged. “An attempted imperius curse is five years minimum in old Azaky.”

“Indeed, plus you could tag on some time for destruction of personal property and threats. Oh also, he has plenty of previous so yeah, probably double that at least.” Harry said casually. “It’s not that simple though. His wife says he’s lost his mind so it’s looking more likely he’ll be a permanent resident of St. Mungo’s alongside his old pal Rookwood.”

“His old pal…” Ron’s eyes suddenly went wide. “Merlin Harry is this guy a Death Eater?”

“Er yeah.” Harry admitted. “Or ex-Death Eater I suppose.”

“But the only one left out there is…” Ron said piecing together all the information in his head until he shot right up out of his seat. “Sweet Salazar Harry, you’re talking about the Malfoys.”

“Yeah…” Came Harry’s slow confession.

“Wow, I- er, I have questions, a lot of questions.” Ron said, shaking his head and taking his seat again.

“I imagine you do but save them yeah? Please.” Harry begged. “Focus on the job, the rest I’ll fill in for you later if Draco says it’s ok.”

“Draco?” Ron scoffed. “You’re on first name basis with him now? I had no idea you’d even seen him. I thought he was in France until George started dating his ex-fiancé… Why? How? When?...”

“Later, please.” Harry begged. “I’m sorry.” He added. “I’m sorry I couldn’t tell you but he’s been keeping a low profile because of Lucius mostly and it wasn’t my place to tell you anything until now. Like I said I’ve been helping him. It’s a long story but we’re friends now. He's changed a lot or maybe more accurately we only ever saw what he wanted us to see. You don’t need to be his friend but I just need you to trust me when I say that he’s a good guy who needs help so can you be Head Auror Weasley and treat him like any other citizen?”

“I- crikey, I-” Ron stammered. “Yes, Harry of course. I’m a professional.” He said decisively. “You know how much I care about this job and it would be good to bring Lucius Malfoy to justice, snakey bastard.” He added with snarl. 

He was looking professional to be fair, and determined. Harry knew he was dealing with Auror Weasley, not the Ron from school. It would be OK for now at least… the questions would come back again later now doubt.

“Thank you.” Harry said.

“So where are they all now?” Ron asked.

“Lucius is at the Manor. Narcissa says he never leaves but he has a wand and house elves still forced to obey him. Not to mention there might be traps, I’m not sure but he’s paranoid.” Harry explained. “Draco and Narcissa are at my place along with Blaise, Daphne and most likely Fred and George too. I said you’d need statements from them all. Blaise and Narcissa witnessed the unforgivable attempt, the verbal threats at wandpoint and Lucius burning everything Draco owned. The threats in letters I think must be at my place too. Draco said he kept them just in case and, well, he’s kind of been staying with me.”

“He’s been staying with you? As in living in your house?” Ron said with his face all screwed up in surprise and confusion. “Godric Harry you really are a saint that will just help anyone huh? It’s one thing helping Malfoy but… wow. What have Fred and George got to do with all this though?”

“Erm, well nothing specifically other than they know about Draco and they’ve been helping out a bit.” Harry said, not sure how much to reveal about Draco’s business.

Ron seemed to still be processing everything, he hadn’t moved.

“Ron do you think maybe we could erm, get going?” Harry suggested cautiously.

“Right yeah.” Ron said standing up quickly.

Suddenly Head Auror Weasley was back. Ron summoned his robes from the back of the door and put them on. Then he flicked his wand towards a small drawer in the corner cupboard of the office and summoned another set of robes. He sent them over to Harry who caught them and noticed something familiar about them. He looked up at Ron who was grinning and then passed him something else, his old auror badge.

“What?” Ron said happily. “You didn’t think we’d get rid of them did you? Kingsley said you could still come in on any case right? Well I’m bringing you in, full auror privileges so suit up, let’s go.”

Just like that Ron strolled out into the corridor wand in hand. Harry quickly put on the crimson robes over his jeans and long sleeved T-shirt. He used to dread putting them on each morning but weirdly they felt comforting to him now as he remembered how professional and powerful they made him feel. He pinned the badge to the belt on his jeans and followed Ron grabbing his invisibility cloak from the back of the door on his way out and tucking it into his robes.

“Marge round up everyone in today’s primary response team please, emergency meeting in room one now.” Ron said to his secretary walking brisky past her in the direction room of the closest meeting room.

Harry continued to walk behind him giving a courtesy nod to Marge. She immediately sprung into action and a couple of the aurors who were in earshot looked up and started following Ron and Harry too. It was weird being back here. Of course he’d come in a couple of times since he left but they’d all been social calls and he hadn’t been wearing robes, now he just felt like he’d never left. It felt good though going into the field again. He knew in reality he’d just be going back to his house and talking to Draco and the others, he doubted there would be any actual fighting unless things with Lucius went south. 

However, today he felt like he could if he needed to. He used to sit at his desk bored out of his mind with paperwork but also dreaded anything big coming in in case he couldn’t control his magic in the field. Now though, now he reckoned he could. He was sleeping well and was happy for the first time in, well ever maybe. Suddenly he felt like he could conquer the world today if he needed to and it was all because of Draco.

They entered the meeting room and Ron immediately started waving his wand on the big screens they had in their bringing up a big picture of Lucius Malfoy and everything they had on his file. Quickly the seats around the table began filling up with a small team of aurors, about ten including Harry and Ron.

“Right guys.” Ron addressed the group as they got settled. “You’ve been saved from your paperwork today, Harry’s brought us a case and he’s coming in on it as you can see.”

There were a few cheers from the group and some welcome nods from familiar faces coming Harry’s way. He couldn’t help but smile at them. Ron was right really, he’d always just kind of done his own thing when he’d been working here but he had forgotten these rare moments where it felt good to be part of a team, part of something. 

“Is Lucius Malfoy the target sir?” One of the aurors closest to Ron spoke up. 

Harry recognised him as one of the senior aurors, Proudfoot. He’d been an auror in the war alongside Tonks but he had survived. 

“Yes.” Ron said simply. “Harry has evidence that he has been trying to control his son Draco Malfoy-”

“Draco Black.” Harry corrected automatically.

Ron looked at him with a confused frown.

“Er, sorry.” Harry said, feeling slightly bad for interrupting him. “He changed his name legally to Draco Black a few months back when he disowned himself in order to leave the Malfoy family and ways behind him. Thought it was important to get the facts straight, you know.” He clarified.

Ron looked surprised and somewhat impressed by this news but he took it on the chin and carried on. He waved his wand at a smaller screen on the left and brought up Draco’s file then turned to his secretary who was also in the meeting taking notes as always. “Marge get someone to check that please and update the records.”

He addressed the table of aurors once more. “So Lucius Malfoy has been trying to control his natural born but disinherited son Draco Black by way of threats and an attempted Imperius curse. Mr… Black -that’s weird- left home and Mr. Malfoy -hmm does make things easier I suppose- has been trying to look for him to force him to come back and… I dunno, take up the old Malfoy ways or something I suppose.”

Ron looked to Harry for reassurance on the facts and Harry nodded.

“So far we have witnesses to a physical attempt at an attack including the destruction of personal property, we have character witnesses and threats written in letters.” Ron continued.

Harry, realising something, jumped in. “I should say that the letters I believe were actually written by Narcissa Malfoy, Lucius’ current legal wife or Narcissa Black which is her birth name and the name she will be returning to once her divorce has gone through. However, Mr. Malfoy was making her write the letters. I’m not quite sure how but Ms Black can fill us in. She is currently at my home with Mr Black, Mr Zabini and Miss Greengrass who are our other witnesses.”

“Right.” Ron said, nodding at him and stepping in to lead the meeting once more. “Mr. Malfoy is believed to be at his home Malfoy Manor in Wiltshire. Apparently he is not of sound mind and is a danger to himself and others. It is likely he will need to be sent to St. Mungos for treatment before we can actually arrest him but he will need to be secured somewhere either way. So far we only have Harry’s word for all this, which is trustworthy of course but we will need actual evidence before we officially take action on Mr. Malfoy. However, we can hold him on reasonable suspicion for forty eight hours especially given his precious record.”

All the aurors in the room were paying close attention and eager for action. Ron turned to Harry. “Which team do you want to be in?” He asked simply.

“I want to be with Draco.” Harry said automatically. “I mean, Mr. Black. I want to be at my house.” He corrected when Ron gave him a bit of a funny look. 

Ron was still looking at him a bit suspicious but he nodded anyway. “I’ll come with you.” He said slowly and then directed his attention back to the others. “Auror Proudfoot, you’re our most senior auror. I’m putting you in charge of apprehending Mr. Malfoy, bring him into a Ministry holding cell for now. Once we have the evidence from the witnesses we can call a mind healer later to assess him and prepare for a transfer to St. Mungos by the end of the day if all goes well. Take your partner Foster obviously aaaaaand-” He said, looking round the table mentally assessing everyone’s strengths. 

“Robins and Hobbs, Cooper and Bell. The six of you will make a strong field team but be careful. Mr. Malfoy is dangerous and unpredictable so as much as this may seem like a straightforward pick up you need to be prepared for anything. I doubt he will come easily. The Malfoy Manor is an old dark house, it may have traps and all sorts so stay alert. If you require back up then don’t be afraid to call for it, I’d rather be safe than sorry.”

Ron said with an authoritative tone. Harry had known he would make a good Head Auror but seeing him in action planning and delegating like this was proof. He was a leader and he was good at his job.

“Boot and Rogers you’re coming with us to Harry’s. One of you take Mr. Zabini, the other Miss Greengrass. Collect any evidence you can, you know what to ask and Harry reckons they’ll be cooperative. If all parties agree then collect memories too so grab the vials and relevant forms for those before we leave. Harry and I will take Mr Black and Ms Black.” Ron outlined the rest of the plan and there were nods all round.

Harry saw Ron turn towards him again. “What do you wanna do about the Fidelius charm?”

Harry groaned. “I’d forgotten about that.” 

He thought for a moment but then relaxed slightly as he turned towards Boot and Rogers. Terry had been in his year at school and a member of the DA, he trusted him. He didn’t know auror Rogers well but she was professional and understanding.

“I’m really serious about my privacy and this is a case OK? So you’re bound by confidentiality not to disclose any details on my home to anyone ever, even when this case is done. If you do there will be consequences for your future employment here at the ministry.” He said in a serious and slightly scary tone. They both nodded seriously. When he spoke again he softened his voice significantly. “But as it happens I do trust you to be professional. I’ll side you along Auror Rogers and Ron can take you Auror Boot that way you’ll be able to come inside but not repeat the address to anyone anyway.”

“Right OK then.” Ron said straightening up again. “You all have your assignments and I have every confidence in you. Proudfoot, remember about the reinforcements and send me word via a patronus once Mr. Malfoy is in the holding cell. If you need me in an emergency then summon me with your band and I’ll come. Everyone wearing one?”

Everyone nodded and held up their wrists which is where aurors usually wore them.

“Marge can you grab one for Harry?” Ron asked his secretary and she got up to move but Harry spoke up once more.

“Er, no need.” He said sheepishly, pulling up the leg of his jeans and showing Ron the band round his ankle.

Ron frowned at him. “We are having a serious chat once this is done.”

Harry gave him a bit of a grin. “Yes boss.”

“You’re such a pain in my arse Harry Potter.” Ron muttered. “Good to have you back though.”

He looked at Harry with a bit of a grin and in that moment Harry knew that Ron had missed him. It was something he still felt guilty about, leaving Ron but he had to be selfish occasionally. His own happiness was important to him now. Ron looked away after a moment and back to the rest of the aurors. 

“Right let’s go team, good luck everyone.” Ron said louder and everyone got straight up to leave.

Harry held Ron back ever so slight so he could speak to him quietly covered by the noise of people leaving. “Head Aurors don’t usually do simple witness statements, I thought you’d head up the field team.” 

Ron shrugged. “I’m delegating, it’s what good leaders do right? Proudfoot can handle it, we can go if there’s trouble but I’m going where you’re going... partner.” He added with a cheeky smile. “Besides I’m curious to see Malfoy- erm Black, Merlin that’s weird.”

“You don’t know the half of it.” Harry chuckled.

*~*

When Harry got back home, accompanied by Ron, Boot and Roberts, Kreacher informed him that everyone was in the drawing room upstairs. Harry led the way and opened the door first. He immediately found Draco’s eyes and smiled at him, putting all the tenderness and comfort into his look whilst Ron couldn’t see his face. 

“You OK?” He mouthed silently.

Draco nodded eyeing him up and down taking in the sight of Harry in his auror robes. A brief smile appeared and there was a slight twinkle in his eye but it vanished when Ron and the aurors came into view behind Harry.

Narcissa was sipping on one sofa sitting close to Draco but not touching him and finishing a cup of chamomile tea, probably not her first. Draco had an empty cup in front of him on the coffee table and there were also a few other empty cups and glasses alongside a mostly empty plate of cookies. George had his arm around Daphne on the other sofa whilst Fred and Blaise each occupied an armchair by the fireplace. It seemed quiet in the room but not uncomfortably so.

Harry longed to sit on the sofa next to Draco and put his arms around him but he knew he couldn’t at the moment. Draco wouldn’t thank him for it. Studying Draco’s face though he looked well enough. He seemed tired but also calm and ready.

Ron looked slightly nervous for a moment as he eyed Draco and Narcissa but then he caught Fred and George’s eye too and stood up straighter with a professional look about him. Harry suspected it was because he wanted to prove to the twins that he was good at his job after all the teasing they did.

He stepped forward and addressed Narcissa in a gentle way but still with an air of authority. “Ms Black as I understand it?” He questioned. So far he seemed to be avoiding Draco.

She nodded once and returned the formal greeting. “Auror Weasley.” 

“I have sent a field team to bring in Mr. Malfoy. Based on Harry’s report we can hold him under suspicion for forty eight hours. I gather you wish to commit him to St. Mungo’s as a mentally unstable criminal?”

Narcissa looked to Draco who nodded. “That is correct.” She said to Ron.

Ron nodded and addressed the whole room this time, not looking at anyone in particular. “Of course we will need evidence to actually hold him. If he is unwell as you say then we can make a recommendation to St. Mungos anyway that will be much quicker than a private referral but to actually label him as a criminal we will need testimonies and hopefully memories too if you are all willing.”

“Of course.” Narcissa said in her stiff formal manner. Blaise and Daphne nodded but said nothing. Draco just sat there silently.

“Right, erm, Boot and Rogers can you take Mr Zabini and Miss Greengrass to…” Ron looked at Harry.

“Er, the lounge I guess.” Harry suggested not wanting them in his private office or any of the bedrooms. “It’s downstairs but Blaise and Daphne know their way around.” He said casually.

Ron gave Harry a bit of a surprised look at this information but didn’t question it. Harry felt a twinge of guilt, Ron hadn’t come here in years. Harry had never asked him but then Ron had never asked either and there hadn’t really been much need. They had seen each other pretty much every day for all these years and now, because of Rose, it was easier for Harry to go theirs. Still, maybe Harry should make time for Ron after all this to show him they were still best friends.

Blaise had stood up to take control of the situation. “Follow me.” He said and walked out the room first followed by Boot. Rogers waited for Daphne.

“We’ll go check on the shop and make sure Verity and Graham are alright to close up but we’ll be back.” George said to Daphne. “If that’s OK anyway.” He directed at Harry.

“Course, thanks.” Harry said simply. “You can wait in the kitchen when you get back, help yourself to anything in there and Kreacher is around if you need anything. You know the drill.”

Daphne smiled back at George and nodded again but she seemed uncharacteristically quiet today. After that Daphne walked out the too room closely followed by Rogers, Fred and George. This left a slightly awkward foursome of Harry, Ron, Draco and Narcissa.

Harry went to sit on the spot on the sofa where Daphne had been opposite Draco figuring he might as well make himself comfortable. Ron came to sit next to him opposite Narcissa and with this closer proximity he could no longer politely ignore Draco.

“Malf- I mean, er, Mr, Black.” He said with a short sharp nod in acknowledgement.

“Auror Weasley.” Draco said back formally. “Thank you for coming.”

“It’s my job.” Ron replied simply but it had no hint of malice.

“So start at the beginning please and tell me everything, don’t leave anything out. If you want to secure Mr. Malfoy for good this time then anything, even the smallest detail might help. At the end I’d like to collect memories if I may. Of course you can refuse but I would strongly recommend that you don’t as it would help your case a great deal.” Ron said in his professional tone as if he was still invested in this case but as if he’d said it a thousand times before.

“You alright to take the notes?” He asked Harry.

Harry nodded, taking out the forms and the quills from the briefcase he'd grabbed from the Ministry and they got started.

*~* 

“So I think that’s pretty much everything then.” Ron said drawing things to a conclusion some considerable time later. “With the statements Harry’s got and the memories you’ve provided there’s enough here for an Azkaban sentence for sure, and that’s not including the evidence they’ve gathered downstairs. I can’t really say how long though, not really my department but it wouldn’t be life but if he passes the medical examination he’d get out at some point. If the healers deem him fit then he’ll stand trial first anyway before he gets locked up, it’s just protocol but it will determine the length of his sentence. We have enough here to keep him locked up until a trial though if it goes that way so he won’t have his freedom from today as long as everything’s going OK with the field team.”

Ron looked at the watch he still wears on his wrist from his seventeenth birthday. Harry can see he looks slightly nervous but he doesn’t show it too much. Just then, as if on cue, a silvery swirling mist shot into the room from nowhere and formed into a majestic lion which spoke with Proudfoot’s voice.

“Can confirm that Mr. Malfoy is secure in a Ministry holding cell, wand confiscated. Illegal traps on premise, Bell injured but not critical. Mr. Malfoy’s definitely suffering from mental health issues and was not in a good way. He fought but was easily overpowered. Healer has been called, will fill in field report and await further instruction sir.”

Everyone in the room let out a collected sigh of relief that they didn’t realise they were holding and Harry saw a small hint of colour flooding back into Draco’s face. It was still pale but it was normal now, not the tinge of grey it had been for most of the day. He looked up at Harry and gave him a tiny smile but he said most of his thoughts with his sparkling silvery eyes.

Then Draco turned to his mother and clutched her hand. “Thank you for this Mother, thank you for making it safe for me, for us, without him.”

Narcissa swallowed her emotions but held her son’s hand back regardless. “I’m sorry I didn’t do it sooner but we both have a future now.”

Ron looked slightly uncomfortable at witnessing this private moment and swiftly stood up. “Right well I should get back to the office and sort all this out before I can let anyone go home for the day. Looks like I might be late for dinner tonight.”

“Sorry mate but it’s appreciated. You can tell Hermione it’s my fault.” Harry offered with a smile.

“Oh I’m going to don’t worry.” Ron said with a nervous laugh. “You not coming?” He said to Harry, slightly disappointed.

Harry gave a subtle look over to Draco. “No I’d rather be here. Besides, you don’t need me.” Harry looked down at his robes and tugged the fabric slightly. “This is a nice sentiment and I appreciate it but you don’t need a partner. You’re doing a brilliant job on your own, you and the department.”

There was a slight moment where Harry and Ron looked at each other and it felt like there was more to say but neither of them had ever been good with words and they had an audience.

“Right, well keep them anyway you know… just in case.” Ron said slightly awkwardly.

Harry smiled and nodded. “I still think you don’t need me but if there is a big case you can call me and I’ll come in, if I’m allowed that is.”

Ron grinned at him and clapped him on the shoulder. “I knew it, I had a bet on with Williamson. He’s going to be pissed to lose the money but he’ll still be happy about it. Shacklebolt knew this would happen. He never took you off the books you know. You’re still employed as a… what did he call it- a ‘freelance consultant with field auror privileges’.”

Harry blinked in surprise. He knew Kingsley had asked him to still come in if they needed him and he had reluctantly agreed but he thought it was just an informal understanding. He hadn’t realised it was official but for some reason the thought didn’t annoy him or scare him like it should. 

“OK.” He said slowly. “Was anyone ever going to tell me this?”

Ron shrugged. “We figured we’d give you the time you needed but we knew if something came up you’d be there, it’s just who you are… but erm, you- you know you can always say no right?” He added with a bit of uncertainty.

Part of Harry wanted to remind Ron that one of the reasons he left in the first place was because he was sick of being needed but deep down he knew Ron was right. He liked helping people, that was always part of the job that he did enjoy, perhaps this could be the best of both worlds. He could come in on his terms when he was really needed to actually help without overdoing it and giving his whole life to the Ministry. He might even enjoy it now that he felt like he could control his magic again.

“Does this mean I can keep the band?” He smiled cheekily making up his mind.

“That you stole.” Ron muttered, rolling his eyes. “Yeh keep it. Any more I should know about though?” He said accusingly in a louder tone.

Harry twitched sheepishly before looking at Draco and gesturing to his ankle. Draco looked amused and just lifted the left leg of his trousers slightly to reveal the silver band. Harry knelt down and muttered the charm to release and reset it before standing up. Ron had his hand outstretched ready to take it but did not look amused.

“Erm, you can collect Blaise, Daphne, Fred and George’s on the way out I guess and I’ll get Graham’s from him next time I see him.” Harry said casually.

“Graham?” Ron questioned. “Who the fuck is Graham? Merlin Harry, how many people did you involve in this before you came to me?”

“That’s it I swear.” Harry said holding his hands up in surrender with a small smile. Then he got slightly more serious. “I am sorry that I couldn’t come to you first.”

Just then Draco coughed slightly and Ron turned to look at him. “It’s my fault I’m afraid Weasley. Harry wanted to come to you straight away but I told him not to.”

Ron scowled at him slightly but then looked away. “Harry doesn’t normally listen to anyone he just does what he likes.”

Harry couldn’t resist a sneaky look at Draco who had the corner of his mouth turned up slightly but neither of them said anything.

“Anyway, I’m still annoyed at you for stealing seven of these from under my nose.” Ron said back at Harry.

Harry shrugged arrogantly. “Technically if I’ve been still employed this whole time then I didn’t steal them, you know, auror privileges.” He said with a smirk.

“Yeh well just do my a favour and log it in the fucking book like everyone else.” Ron said, pretending to be cross even though Harry could tell he wasn’t really. “You can back date it.”

“Yes boss.” Harry smiled.

Ron raised an eyebrow at him. “You know I technically am your boss right?”

“That’s not a problem mate.” Harry said seriously, extending his hand for Ron to take.

Ron shook it with a smile before turning back to his professional mode facing Draco and Narcissa who had just been watching this whole exchange.

“We’ll keep you posted with the case at every stage. What is your preferred method of contact?” He asked.

Narcissa paused for a moment unsure but Draco answered calmly. “Just floo call Harry here, he’ll keep us updated.”

Now it was Ron and Draco’s turn to have a slightly awkward moment. Ron had directed all possible questions at Narcissa all afternoon and only spoken to Draco in the short polite sentences.

Draco had made a lot of progress in letting go of the past though and Harry knew he was determined to make up for his mistakes. He was already proud of him but his next sentence made him even more proud.

“Thank you for your assistance with this Auror Weasley, it is appreciated. Please tell Mrs. Granger-Weasley that I’m sorry for keeping you from being home on time and give her my regards.” He said in a stiff formal tone but it was still polite. “I would shake your hand too but…” He raised a bandaged hand and gave a feeble smile.

“Er, right, well that’s OK.” Ron said flushing slightly at the top of his ears. “See you around erm-”

“Draco.” He prompted and Harry’s smile grew.

“Merlin save me.” Ron muttered under his breath and then composed himself. “See you around D-Draco.” He stuttered out and then turned to Narcissa. “Ms Black.” He said politely then he swiftly left the room.

Harry didn’t bother seeing him out, he knew his way and the others were down there but he watched him leave through the door. When the door closed he turned back to face Draco but immediately he found a familiar pair of soft lips on his. Harry kissed him back of course, he’d never reject him but he didn’t feel particularly comfortable doing so with this audience. 

He chuckled slightly as he pressed his hand to Draco’s chest and pushed him away gently. “You barely look at me when Ron’s in the room but you can kiss me in front of your mother?”

Draco shrugged with a slight smile. “I told her while you were at the Ministry if she wanted to be part of my life then this is what my life looks like now. I’m done hiding… well to erm, to family at least, yours included.”

Harry stared at him for a moment. Then he simply put his hand back on his chest, grabbed Draco’s top and pulled him back towards him kissing him full on the mouth without a care in the world. It was fierce and passionate as they claimed each other all over again. Harry thought he heard the drawing room door click shut again and after a while when they broke away he noticed they were the only two in the room.

Looking around quickly Draco realised this too and looked back at Harry smiling properly this time. He looked the best he’d ever looked. Harry had seen Draco look happy but now he looked more than happy, he looked… free.

“You’re so freaking beautiful when you smile.” He said to Draco tracing his pale pink lips with his thumb.

“Well you are so damn sexy in your uniform, Auror Potter.” Draco replied with the twinkle back in his eye.

Harry broke out in a smile biting his lip slightly to contain it. “Ah, so that’s what that look you gave me was about when I walked in. You like the robes?” He said amused.

“Merlin yes Harry, you look so powerful in these.” Draco said, stepping forward to attack his neck with kisses and running his hands all over Harry’s back lowering them to grip his arse and pull him closer.

Harry was tempted, he really was. They were completely comfortable naked around each other now and definitely liked to touch. There had been plenty of blowjobs and handjobs both quick and slow but they hadn’t actually had sex yet and it was getting harder and harder to resist his delicious boyfriend. Draco had told him there were things he’d never done that had been too intimate for him so Harry was waiting for him to set the pace but now was not the time to act on it to discuss it.

“Draco.” Harry chuckled, pushing him away gently again as he was getting hard. “We still have a houseful of guests including your mother.”

Draco groaned. “Yes, why on earth did you invite her to stay?”

Harry suddenly panicked, he shouldn’t have that without asking Draco. “I’m sorry I-”

“Relax Harry.” Draco said seriously seeing how worried he was. “I was joking. I really appreciate that you were looking out for Mother and talking to her about family was, well it was really touching. It might be good for her to see us together more. She is still a little sceptical I think and she needs to know how serious I am about this, about you. Even if it means I might not get laid this week.” He explained with a bit of a smile.

“She’s staying for a week?” Harry said with raised eyebrows and a slight groan.

“Well I don’t actually know, she said a couple of days but, well I don’t think she wants to be alone in the Manor its… it’s not actually a nice place.” Draco said in a sombre tone. “Mother wanted to decorate after the war but father wouldn’t let her. Everything still looks the same and it- it brings back bad memories I guess.”

Harry rubbed Draco’s back in a soothing way, ignoring the own shiver that went down his spine at his memories of the place. “I know, I don’t want her there alone either. It’s good that she can be here I guess.”

“Thank you.” Draco said quietly. “You’ve done so much for me.”

Harry trailed his fingers down the side of his face. “How many times do I have to tell you, this is your home too and you can have any family or friends here that you want. Family is important and you deserve to have some Draco.”

“Well I suppose we should go and face these family and friends.” Draco said smiling softly.

“Yeah, guess so.” Harry said, giving Draco one more quick kiss on the cheek before heading back down the stairs.

*~*

When they got downstairs the kitchen was the most full Harry had ever seen it which was strange. Fred, George, Daphne, Blaise and Narcissa were all sitting at the modest kitchen table with Kreacher hovering around with two bottles. They all had a glass of wine in their hands, some more full than others.

“Hope you don’t mind Harry but-” Fred started.

“-we thought everyone could do with a drink-” George said, taking over.

“-after a day like today.” The twins finished together.

“All good.” Harry said smiling just as Kreacher summoned two more glasses and poured one red for Harry and one white for Draco. He knew what they liked.

They both happily accepted their drinks and Draco walked around to the head of the table by the one empty chair.

“I just want to say thank you to you all for everything.” He started speaking in a flat tone only to hide his emotions as was his nature but his voice was cracking as it broke through anyway. “I once thought that I had to do everything myself, that I could never trust anyone else. I thought that asking for help was a sign of weakness but I have learnt a great deal in the last few months and I can now say that I am grateful for your help.”

Harry came to stand by his side and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek. “I’m proud of you.” He whispered in his ear so that no one else could hear. 

Then he turned to face the table too with one hand on Draco’s lower back. With the other he raised his glass. “To friends, family and freedom.” He said happily.

They all raised their glasses to the toast and drank but Harry could feel Narcissa’s eyes on him and he wasn’t entirely sure what that meant.

They all shared some wine and talked for a while. It was slightly stiff and awkward with Narcissa there and everyone was tired but the twins’ jovial attitude was helping to ease the tension and lighten the mood a lot.

Harry asked Kreacher to start cooking and invited everyone to stay for dinner because it was the right thing to do but he was a little relieved when they said no. Daphne was the first to say that she needed to get home and Blaise naturally already had dinner plans. Fred and George didn’t have an excuse but they were honest as always and just said they knew Harry was only asking out of politeness. 

Since his little speech Draco had hardly said a word and Harry could tell that he was a bit emotionally drained. He always knew that Draco wasn’t used to being around so many people for that long.

Dinner was quiet and awkward. Harry was happy to let Kreacher do all the work for once as not knowing how to act or what to say in his own home felt exhausting enough. It would be a long week if Narcissa wasn’t going to relax around him but Harry had already got one stubborn blonde to open up so he was determined he could do it again.

Time to make the first move, though Harry. “So, erm, Ms Black, I think you’d like Regulus’ old room. It's nice and light in there and you’ll have the floor to yourself. Would, erm, would you like me to accompany you to the Manor to get your things after dinner?”

“I’m sure any bedroom will be fine Mr Potter thank you. This house is much nicer than I remember but I do know my way around.” She said formally but it was friendly. “And there’s no need for that, I shall simply ask Hopsy to bring some things over for me if having another house elf around the place will be acceptable to you?”

“Oh, er, sure.” Harry said not very eloquently. “Kreacher might be put out but don’t mind him, he’s always grumpy.”

“I know Kreacher quite well and he has always been polite to me Mr. Potter, thank you.” She replied stiffly.

“Right.” Harry said, feeling foolish. “Of course, sorry. This is more your home than mine really and yeah I guess Kreacher loves you.” He didn’t quite manage to keep the bitter tone out of his voice. 

Suddenly he wasn’t sure if having her here was a good idea after all. It was one thing to share this house with Draco but now having her here as well he felt out of place in his own home. This was the Black family home and they were Blacks, he was the one that didn’t belong here.

He looked over at the blank wall to his left and just stared at it for a while not really knowing why until he felt a soft squeeze on his thigh from Draco under the table. 

“This is your home- no, our home, remember Harry? You’ve told me often enough.” Draco said with a smile and then it faded slightly as he turned to Narcissa. “Mother didn’t mean anything by it, did you?”

“Of course not, my apologies if you took offence Mr. Potter.” She said flatly.

He sighed inwardly. He wasn’t stupid, he saw the difference there. Not, sorry I offended you but sorry if you took offence, like if he was offended by it then it was his fault not hers. Draco was right, this is where he got his brains from. Sparring with Draco thought was fun, he was witty and Harry appreciated that. They’d always had fun making jabs at each other but keeping up with Narcissa in conversation would be a different matter. 

He was still determined to make an effort though. “Please call me Harry.” He said with a smile trying not to make it look forced.

“I don’t think so Mr. Potter. Not until we’ve become better acquainted which no doubt we shall have to do I suppose.” She replied.

Man, she could at least try and sound happy about it, Harry thought as he took another large sip of his wine. They never had alcohol at dinner when it was just the two of them here but Harry was pleased for it tonight. He knew it was a slippery slope though. Last Friday he drank because he was happy and relaxed with friends. Now though it was starting to become a coping mechanism again. Draco seemed to sense this too as he subtly poured him a glass of water and gave him another reassuring touch under the table.

The rest of the meal went on in much of the same fashion. Harry gave up trying to engage Narcissa after a while and just politely spoke to Draco about his work which was a safe subject and something which his mother at least seemed interested in. 

Narcissa was still just watching the pair of them interact, Harry felt like he was under constant scrutiny. However her gaze softened ever so slightly every time it landed on Draco which was the only thing that kept Harry from getting annoyed by it. She loved her son and he lo- cared for her son too, they weren’t enemies. That’s what he was telling himself. She did the right thing once before when it mattered. She saved Harry’s life so that she could reach Draco. She was a good person, underneath her cool exterior.

Dinner seemed to last an awfully long time though as they had dessert as well and then for some bizarre reason Narcissa asked Kreacher for a cheese course. Even by the end of all that it was still only half eight but Harry just couldn’t take it anymore. He made his excuses saying that he had a bit of headache and he said it would be nice for Narcissa, or Ms Black as he kept having to call her, to catch up with Draco. He pointed out politely that Draco could show her around and she had two house elves now seemingly who would attend to her needs. He told her through slightly gritted teeth to make herself at home and then took himself to bed much earlier than he usually did and for once, without Draco.

He tried to read but he didn’t actually enjoy reading for pleasure that much despite all the books Hermione had bought for him insisted he’d like them. He preferred to watch TV but that was in a communal area of the house and he was hiding in the bedroom like a coward because he knew it was somewhere Narcissa wouldn’t come.

It was about an hour later when Draco walked in and sat down on the edge of his side of the bed. He pushed Harry’s hair out of his face and leaned down to kiss his forehead right over his scar. It was something he’d started doing a lot recently, it was nice.

“I’m sorry.” He said softly.

“Sorry for what?” Harry asked, sighing slightly but really pleased to finally be alone with Draco in their room. “Sorry that your Mother hates me?”

“She doesn’t hate you.” Draco insisted. “She just doesn't know you yet. Remember I didn’t used to like you but then you showed me who you really were. She just needs to get to know you that's all and then she’ll see everything I see.” He said running his fingers through Harry’s hair.

“If she gives me a chance.” Harry scoffed.

“She will.” Draco said simply. Harry gave him a sceptical look so he argued his case. “She will because she wants me to be happy and you make me happy. She already knows that, I think it’s obvious when we’re together given what Blaise and Daphne have told me. Apparently I’m not as good at hiding my emotions anymore, you’ve made me soft.”

“Yes I melted your cool hard exterior.” Harry chuckled.

“You did.” Draco said fondly. “You have faced the most evil wizard of all time Auror Potter not to mention a couple of his friends, I’m sure you can cope with my mother. The fact that she hasn’t said she disapproves means she approves she’s just not ready to say it yet.”

“OK.” Harry replied as he stroked Draco’s thigh, too tired really to say anything else on the matter but still reassured by Draco’s words.

“Are you OK?” He asked affectionately. “It’s been a long day.”

Draco started nodding slowly. Harry sat up in bed slowly leaning towards Draco. He brought his hand up to the side of his face and Draco nuzzled into it.

“Harry,” Draco whispered softly. “I’m finally free of him. We’re free.”

“I know.” Harry said back gently. “He’ll never try to control you ever again and you don’t have to hide anymore, not if you don’t want to. Your mother is right, you know, you can have any future you want.”

Draco swallowed thickly inches away from Harry’s face. He spoke so quietly that Harry barely heard him but there was still no mistaking the words. “The- the only future I want is- is with you.”

Harry was speechless, just for a moment until he managed to find the right words to respond. 

“Well my prince always gets what he wants.” he said, breaking out in the biggest smile he’d ever had and that was when he knew.

Well he’d know for a while but this is when he allowed himself to accept it.

He was head over heels in love with Draco Black.

And they could have any future they liked.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As with last chapter, sorry to those who would have preferred to see more of an action type seen with the aurors bringing Lucius in, I thought about it I really did but this was my gut so I went with it.  
> This fic is all about the conversations and relationships between characters and that's what I love to write. Plus like I said, I wanted to do something different and to me this feels 'realistic' which I'm all about!
> 
> Anyway, as ever let me know what you think! Please comment I love to read them! :D  
> You guys are the best!


	30. Draco: Tuesday 25th October

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Harry, Draco and Narcissa settle in to their new living arrangement with some interesting mealtimes.  
> We get some little moments between Harry and Draco of course but also between Draco and his mother.  
> Update on the case/divorce plus the 'l' word creeps up a little bit... but only a little!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry I didn't get this chapter up over the weekend but at least I'm posting on a Monday night like I said I would! I was just hoping it would be chapter 31 by now, oh well!  
> This is a loooooong chapter though. I know I keep saying this but this is the longest one yet!
> 
> I know I could do more regular updates with shorter chapters but I want to keep the story consistent and also this all happens in one day from Draco's perspective so it's just the way the chapters are working out.  
> I know I get carried away with my conversations, I just feel like these characters have so much to say... Is that OK? Do you like the chats they have?!  
> Hope so!
> 
> *Trigger warning: Slight mention of self harm here with Lucius in his cell but it's not graphic at all

Waking up on Tuesday morning felt entirely different for Draco. He thought he’d been content before, he’d been sleeping well, eating well, enjoying life, but he hadn’t realised how much he’d been carrying it around still. Carrying around that anxiety every day that maybe today might be the day that Lucius catches up to him. Maybe today the Imperius curse would stick and he’d be under his control once more. 

Waking up today was the first time that he didn’t feel that worry lurking under the surface. He knew at least that it wouldn’t happen today, or tomorrow for that matter or the next few months, the next few years. Hopefully now that day will never come. For today he knew that Lucius Malfoy was waking up secured to a bed in St. Mungos. 

Ron had floo called last night just as Draco had been going to bed. Apparently they were originally aiming to call it a day yesterday and wrap up the case today but Lucius hadn’t coped very well in his holding cell. He had started bashing his head against the wall to try and rid himself of his demons. They had called in the healers and he’d been accompanied to the magical hospital with an auror escort. So waking up today knowing that made Draco feel like it was going to be a very good day.

Although as he looked over to Harry’s side of the bed he realised that this morning was different for another reason too. Harry wasn’t sleeping soundly next to him, in fact he wasn’t there at all. Just as Draco started to get worried the door opened and Harry walked in already fully dressed and carrying two cups of coffee.

“Morning.” He said with a small smile. It didn’t look right to Draco though, it looked forced. “I figured you’d be up around now. You’re going into the shop today still I guess?”

He said it like he didn’t want Draco to go.

“Yeah sorry, I have to.” Draco explained. “I’m behind as it is with some perfumes getting destroyed in the explosion and not having the rest of the day yesterday to work. Plus Graham had to work at the Weasleys in the end so those potions weren’t done either and I have appointments. I-”

“I know.” Harry interrupted him handing him one of the coffee mugs. “I know, don’t worry. Your business is important and you need to go. I'm just not really sure what I’m going to do with your mother in the house.”

Draco sighed. He hated the fact that he was now torn between Harry and his mother, last night at dinner had been awful. Of course if it came to it he would always be on Harry’s side, how could he not be? It was true what he’d accidentally revealed last night, he did want a future with Harry and his mother would have to accept that. 

“So that’s why you’re up early, you’re worrying.” He said as Harry came to sit on the bed with his coffee. “Did you sleep at all?”

Harry gave another feeble smile. “Yeh I did a little.” Clearly a lie, Draco thought. “I was just thinking.”

“About my mother?” Draco asked. “If it’s a problem then I’ll tell her to leave.” He said knowing it was true but also feeling guilty about it.

He knew more than anyone how hard it was to sleep in the Manor after the horrors that had happened there. He still wasn’t sure exactly how he felt about Mother, part of him was still bitter towards her for not being there for him but she was his Mother. He could cope with not having a father, he’d been fatherless in his head for a long time. However, he’d always held on to the fact that he could maybe have a proper relationship with his Mother one day and he wanted it more than he cared to admit… but Harry was still more important.

“No Draco.” Harry said softly. “Don’t do that. I want you to have a relationship with your Mother. I’m fine, like you said I can handle her, it's just an adjustment that’s all.”

“But you can’t relax in your own home, that’s not fair.” Draco countered.

“And she can’t relax in hers.” Harry argued back. “Life isn’t fair but we have to do what we can to support those we lo- erm, care about.” 

Harry kind of corrected himself and looked slightly flushed. Had he been about to say the ‘l’ word? Draco’s heart was pounding in response to that but he forced himself to stay cool. He might be wrong, after all Harry was just talking about ‘people’ not him specifically. Even if he wasn’t wrong if Harry wasn’t ready to say it then Draco certainly wasn’t going to push it. To be honest he wasn’t sure if he was ready to hear it and he definitely wasn’t ready to say it back which would probably hurt Harry. 

He knew it was stupid when only yesterday he’d told Harry he wanted a future with him. Really they had already said how serious they were about each other but the ‘l’ word seemed like a bigger step. No one had ever told Draco that they loved him. He thinks Mother may have said it to him when he was really young. He has this vague memory of her saying ‘I love you my little dragon’ that plays over and over in his head but he’s not even sure if it’s real. Sometimes he thinks he just made it up. 

Did Harry really _love_ him…? Was it even possible for anyone to really love him…? Cared about seemed more accurate. He was grateful for that, it meant everything to him and he could cope with that even if it’s all it ever was. Harry obviously didn’t seem sure either as he was still looking slightly nervous.

Draco decided the best course of action was just to ignore the little slip up if that’s what it was. Harry was already talking again anyway.

“Besides, that wasn’t the only thing I was thinking about.” He said as he sipped his coffee.

“Oh? What else is on your mind?” Draco asked even though he thought he might know. 

He was toying with bringing it up yesterday but the last thing he wanted to do was to influence Harry’s decisions in that way. As much as he liked to tease Harry by making demands, he never wanted to control anyone. He never wanted to make Harry feel like he couldn’t do what he wanted in life even if he did have reservations about it.

“Erm,” Harry started tentatively. “Well do you have time to talk? I know you need to get to work but I came in early with the coffee because, well, we can’t exactly talk openly over breakfast this morning.”

There it was again, the fact that Harry couldn’t be himself in his own home outside this room. Something would have to change. If his mother didn’t start being nicer to Harry he’d have to talk to her.

“I always have time to talk to you Harry.” He said gently.

“Well, I was going to go into the Ministry today. Firstly to get all the information on your case first hand but also, I think I need to talk to Kingsley and Williamson about, well about the job.” Harry said flatly. He seemed tired this morning and not himself which worried Draco. “I mean, I don’t know the specifics and I should probably have an actual contract or something…” He trailed off.

“Yes you definitely should have a contract.” Draco pointed out slightly harshly.

“I knew you’d be annoyed about this.” Harry sighed.

That startled Draco, he hadn’t meant to show his annoyance he thought he’d been discreet. When had Harry learnt to read him so well?

“I’m not annoyed at you.” Draco said honestly. “I just think it was a bit presumptuous of the Ministry to keep you employed without your knowledge after you thought you’d handed your notice in. I’m annoyed that they knew you’d come if they called you.”

“Yes it was a bit.” Harry agreed. “But you are still annoyed with me. You’re annoyed because you think I’d still go no questions asked if they said they needed me.”

Damn it. “I hadn’t realised I was so transparent.” He mumbled.

That made Harry laugh. “And you’re annoyed because I kind of already accepted it without talking to you first.”

“No.” Draco corrected quickly. “I’m not annoyed about it. It’s your life Harry, you don’t need my permission for anything. You want this, I could see it in your face yesterday and if it’s what you want to do then you should do it. I’m not going to stop you, I’m not Lucius.”

“Of course you’re not.” Harry said appalled. “I- I never said that you were.” 

Harry took a moment to think looking a little confused and then he scooted closer to Draco both sitting on top of the bed. Harry reached for Draco’s hand which was still covered in bandages for precaution really although he expected underneath it would be fully healed today.

“Draco, there’s a difference between control and guidance.” Harry said gently. “I know you would never want to make me do anything but you need to accept that you do still influence my decisions. It’s in a good way though. I want to take your opinion into consideration because I respect you and what you have to say. Not to mention you’re annoying astute about things…. You seem to know what’s -what’s best for me.” He mumbled and half laughed.

Then he cleared his throat and looked up at Draco again. “It’s not control if I’m asking for your help in making a decision.”

“Are you asking for my help in making this decision? I thought you’d already made it?” He said with a raised eyebrow.

“I- well yes I kind of made it yesterday and Ron was obviously happy about it and no doubt told everyone…” He half rambled and then got back on the right train of thought. “But like I said, I haven’t signed a contract and it’s not too late to change my mind if you don’t think it’s the best thing for me, for- for us… you know, with my whole ‘hero-complex’ thing that you pointed out to me.”

Draco thought about the best way to respond to this for a moment hoping he would get the right words. 

“I have an issue with control, you’re right.” He started. “I need to separate what constitutes having control over someone and what is guiding their decisions in a positive way, like you said. You need to work out a way of separating an unhealthy need to save everyone no matter what it might cost you personally and the desire to help people. You’re one of the kindest people I’ve ever known, Harry. The fact that you like helping people is what makes you who you are and I don’t want you to lose that... But if you can’t separate the two then I don’t think it’s a good idea for you to be employed as an auror, even if it is freelance.”

“Yes, that’s fair.” Harry said nodding slowly. “I thought you’d say that and I’ve been thinking about it all night but I think I can.”

Draco was thinking of how to make sure this was the case and best explain it to Harry.

“I never thought I’d compliment him but Ronald does seem like he’s rather good at his job.” Draco admitted. “He makes a better Head Auror than you would have done, he actually seems rather more sensible than he used to be. Maybe you can follow his lead with him being your boss now, the dynamic between you two will have changed. It seems like he actually respects the Ministry and wants to do things by the book even if he slips up and looks the other way sometimes. Would that be an accurate description?”

Harry was nodding. “Yeah that’s fair, you’re very perceptive as always. I think that might have been my problem before, not that I didn’t respect the Ministry because I do but I didn’t respect Williamson as he treated me favourably when I didn’t deserve it. I do respect Ron though, a lot actually, I could work for him. He never used to call me out on my bullshit but I think he would now that he’s officially in charge. I think before, even though it was a partnership, he always looked to me as the leader still. He cares about his job a lot more than I ever did, I think it’s probably because he still feels like he has something to prove. He definitely does things by the books now that he’s been promoted so yeah I reckon if I follow his lead I won’t go too far wrong.”

He hesitated for a moment before looking at Draco again. “So, the circumstances have changed which makes it easier for me but also I’ve changed. I’ve changed a lot actually since I left because of you. You’ve already influenced my life in so many ways, so many good ways. I told you yesterday, remember? I wanted to rush in and tear through the wards and save Daphne even if it meant risking my own life. When in reality it turned out that she didn’t even need saving. But I didn’t, I stopped, I gave it as an option but listened to you when you said no, you then assessed the situation more accurately and I waited. Ron is kind of like you in some ways-”

Draco scoffed at that, how rude!

“No listen to me.” Harry insisted. “He’s actually highly logical like you. He thinks about things in a different way than I do and he sees what I don’t see. He thinks tactically about situations and he has become very good at delegating too. You’re right, he makes a much better Head Auror than I would have done. My point was I have changed. I can still think about how to save someone in the field but I’ll stop, I’ll outline my plan to the field auror in charge at the time including all the risks and if they say no then I’ll listen I swear.”

“I think I believe you.” Draco said with a soft smile.

“I can convince you further.” Harry said with a smile of his own. This time he reached up to Draco’s face and he trailed his fingers up it and through his hair as he was so fond of doing. “You know the other main difference between me and Ron in the field over the past few years?”

“What?” Draco said even though he thought he knew what was coming.

“Ron is kind too, he has a good heart and always wants to save people but he values his own life in a way that I have never done. He has a wife and a child waiting at home for him to return. He has a mother and a father who have already lost one son, siblings who have already lost a brother. Those always helped remind him that his life was worth something to others. He wanted to stay safe for them.” Harry was speaking in a soft romantic sort of voice that was soothing Draco. 

“It’s like I said yesterday, I feel like I finally know how he feels. Having you in my life means it’s worth something to me. I always want to come back to you. I’ll still try and save people. If there is a big case and people are in danger I will do whatever I can but I don’t want to die trying. Living is just more important to me now than it was. Now that I have something to live for… someone to live for.” He added quietly looking into Draco’s eyes as he said it.

Draco abandoned his half drunk cup of coffee on the bedside table and leaned forward to capture Harry’s mouth in a kiss. Those words had been everything he had wanted to hear and his heart was beating out of his chest. Harry floated his own cup so he could also focus all his attention on their kiss at this moment. This is what mattered, the two of them, that was more important than anything.

Harry broke away first but stayed close leaning his forehead on Draco’s. “I have much more control of my magic now because of you too. My emotional state is much better now that I’m actually happy.”

“You don’t want to go back full time though?” Draco asked with some hesitation.

Harry laughed pulling his head away. “Merlin no. If I’d known there was an option for occasional field work and consultation on the big cases without having to do all the boring paperwork I’d have taken it years ago. Besides, I like being home with you. I know you still work hard when you're here but it’s nice that you only have to go into the shop a couple of days a week. Who would bring you drinks and snacks while you work if I wasn’t here?”

“Kreacher?” He quipped. 

“He doesn’t know how to make the flavoured muggle lattes that you love so much though.” Harry countered. “And he wouldn’t kiss you when he brings them. Admit it, you like having me here too.”

“Maybe.” Draco said smiling and then he looked slightly more serious though. “I will admit that I would be a bit upset if you wanted to go back full time. I like our life here and the routine we’ve established. I think it’s important for us to have some proper time together. It’s for your benefit too though, I like that you eat properly, you sleep well and that you have time for yourself and your family now. All those things have contributed to your emotional state and mental health as well, it’s not just me.”

“Yeah that’s true.” Harry conceded. “I really don’t want to go back full time either, I’d never even consider it.”

“Good. I am happy for you though Harry, it does seem like the best of both worlds. I think you’ve been looking back negatively on your period with the aurors.” Draco said seriously. “I thought you must have really hated it but seeing you yesterday made me realise that there must have been parts you liked. Even if it was just taking witness statements you enjoyed it, you liked being Auror Potter again. You looked confident.”

“You just liked the robes.” Harry said with a smirk.

“I’m not denying that.” Draco replied a little flirtatiously.

“Does that mean you’d support me to be a sort of part time emergency auror?” Harry asked Draco seriously.

“Yes I support you. Always.” Draco replied honestly and then smiled slightly. “Just for once in your life maybe you can actually stick to the rules though. I mean there must be a handbook for Merlin’s sake, protocols to follow?”

It was Harry’s turn to smile now. “Yes I believe I was given some to read when I first joined.”

“And did you read them?” Draco said sceptically. 

“Well Hermione read them about three times and then explained them to us.” Harry said sheepishly.

“Why am I not surprised?” Draco muttered before speaking in a more authoritative tone. “Well while you’re at the Ministry today pick up every handbook they have and then bring them back here to read thoroughly. I’m going to read them even if you don’t. Also bring your contract back here with you. I want to read that too before you sign it. You tell them that you need to clarify the terms and you need at least a day to think about it, don’t sign anything or agree to anything today.”

That came out of him in a rush before he’d even thought it through and he suddenly became aware of how it sounded which made him groan.

“I’m sorry.” He said instinctively but Harry looked at him in a confused way. “Harry I know I can be controlling but will you tell me if I ever… overstep?” He asked with a sigh.

Harry looked less confused now but he looked at Draco fondly with a soft smile.

“Stop worrying Draco. You are a bit of a control freak but I like it. It’s because you’re so passionate. You’re a perfectionist in your work because you care so much and it’s the same here. If you ever have an instinct to have ‘control’ over any part of my life it’s because you care about me. It’s not for self-serving reasons. You’re nothing like your father, you hear me?” Harry said stubbornly. His words made Draco immediately feel more at ease. 

“In fact I’m rather hoping you take after your mother as if I can crack you then it means I can crack her.” Harry added with a smile.

Draco chuckled. “I’m sure you can Harry. Although you might need to use a different method. What cracked me was seeing you in clothes that actually fit you. I’m not sure the same technique will work on my mother.”

“Merlin no, definitely not.” Harry replied looking mildly horrified. “Talking of clothes, shouldn’t you get in some?”

“Yes I really should.” He said looking at the time.

“Sorry for talking your ear off but I appreciate the help. You always make me feel better.” Harry said kindly. “I’ll go back a start on breakfast and see you down there.”

Draco nodded and Harry made for the door when he reached it he hesitated slowly and turned round. “Draco, what does your mother usually have for breakfast?”

“Honestly?” Draco said with a raised eyebrow.

“Yes.” Harry insisted.

“Eggs Royale of course.” Draco said with a small smile. He decided to push it slightly further, feeling in a good mood all of a sudden and seeing that Harry was much more at ease now too. “With caviar if you have some.”

“Godric save me.” Harry muttered as he turned back towards the door and left the room.

*~*

When Draco walked into the kitchen after showering and dressing in one of his new fancy work outfits he groaned inwardly at what he saw. Harry was indeed at the stove making eggs royale, of course he was, but Mother’s house elf Hopsy was practically on top of him and criticising everything he was doing. She was telling him exactly how ‘Mistress’ likes it and complaining it really would be better if he let Hopsy cook it. Draco could immediately tell Harry’s shoulders were tense and he was quite literally gritting his teeth.

Kreacher was nowhere to be seen which was probably a wise move. He had taken to looking after the owls a lot recently and was probably hiding up there talking to Gandalf just like Harry did sometimes when he was stressed.

Mother was quite simply sitting at the kitchen table sipping her tea and reading Witch Weekly like nothing was happening. Draco also noticed that she’d transfigured one of the chairs to make it look much more elegant and comfortable. He knew from experience that the simple black wooden chairs in the kitchen weren’t much to look at but they were plenty comfortable enough and anyway if they weren’t a simple cushioning charm would have sufficed. She was deliberately being difficult even after everything Harry had done yesterday to help her. 

“Mother.” He said in a dangerous tone and gestured towards her house elf.

She didn’t even look up from her magazine to see the gesture though. “Good morning Draco dear.” She said politely.

He approached the table and slammed his hand down on the magazine forcing her to look up at him. Even Harry and Hopsy stopped what they were doing to look over.

“Dramatic as ever I see.” She said with a small smile. “Was there something you wanted?”

“I want you to stop your house elf from harassing Harry when he’s clearly just trying to be nice and cook you your favourite breakfast.” Draco huffed. “And transfigure back the chair while you’re at it. How would you like it if someone came into your home and started changing the furniture?” 

“I’d be delighted.” She replied in her overly posh dry tone. “If you remember I’ve been trying to redecorate for years. Also, I thanked Mr. Potter when he said he was going to cook my breakfast which you would have known if you were here. Now I am simply drinking my tea. Hospy is a free elf, she can do as she pleases. It’s hardly my fault is she wants me to have the best breakfast possible, she is still fond of me.”

Draco blinked a little in surprise. “She- she’s free?” 

He took another look at Hopsy and noticed she was wearing a pair of pale pink frilly socks as well as her ugly rag dress. Harry was also looking down at her feet as if he hadn’t noticed and seemed surprised but impressed.

“Of course.” His mother said as if she was offended. “Lucius would never let me free them before but you really think I would want to force control on another creature when I know what it feels like?”

“Erm, no, of course not.” Draco said quickly, still recovering from his surprise.

“Draco, don’t say ‘erm’ it is most uncouth.” His mother criticised him harshly. 

“Right.” Draco said, trying to work out what to say or do next to get control of this situation.

He turned to the female house elf and used a polite but still authoritative voice. “Well in that case Hopsy thank you for staying on to look after Mother, it is appreciated. I trust that she will organise the terms of your employment but I shall leave that to her. However, whilst you’re in this house you need to appreciate that things work a little differently. By all means assist Mother with whatever she needs for the duration of her stay but Harry and I are the masters of this house so please respect that. Harry likes to cook so unless he asks for your assistance then just leave him to it he is quite capable.”

Hopsy was looking a little bit sad which made Draco feel guilty but she did need to be told. He was at least being polite to her which was certainly more than his father had ever been. Still he decided maybe a compromise was in order, change was probably difficult for her too.

“If you enjoy cooking too Hopsy then perhaps you could prepare a meal for the three of us this evening. Would that be acceptable?” Draco asked incredibly politely and with a smile.

He looked up at Harry who was giving him the biggest smile and there seemed to be a couple of different feelings behind those eyes. 

Hopsy was looking at him with wide eyes too and nodding most enthusiastically. “Of course Master Draco sir it would be an honour. Hopsy be knowing Mistresses’ favourite sir.” 

Then she wandered off to the pantry to check what they had in muttering something about salmon under her breath leaving Harry in peace to carry on cooking.

His mother had been watching the whole thing with a slightly amused look on her face from her still fancy transfigured chair. “That was well handled.” She commented quietly to him so that Harry couldn’t hear.

He looked back at Harry who was carrying on cooking looking noticeably less tense but still not quite at ease. Then he turned back to his mother and hissed in a low voice. “Well I wouldn’t have to handle anything if you weren’t deliberately causing trouble.”

“I have no idea what you mean Draco.” She said with the tiniest hint of a smile returning to her magazine.

That settled it, he decided, she was most definitely being difficult on purpose and it was probably a test somehow. Either a test for him or for Harry he wasn’t sure but this was typical of her, maybe she was testing their relationship. Interesting... Well he would show her just how good they were together and how well they could run this house.

Smiling to himself Draco went over to give Harry a supportive kiss on the cheek as he carried on preparing breakfast. Then he got two glasses of orange juice from the fridge all by hand as he always did but noticed his mother was still watching him with a curious expression. He tried to ignore her look but deliberately carried on doing everything without magic just to subtly prove a point. He put the glasses on the table trying to ignore the fact that his mother was sitting where Harry always sat. After that he set the table and helped Harry dish up. 

He took his plate over to the table when it was done and Harry took the other two. Mother put her magazine away as Harry placed the eggs and smoked salmon dish in front of her.

“Thank you Mr. Potter, this looks… homely.” She said politely but it was still a bit of a dig.

Draco personally thought it looked delicious, true Hopsy would have plated it better but he knew it would taste good. Harry didn’t reply to the backhanded compliment and just started eating. He suddenly looked a bit tired and deflated again even though he had perked up after their talk this morning. He wanted to tell him that Mother was just playing a game and he needed to play back but he didn’t know how to communicate that to him here. Well the least he could do was stick up for him.

“Harry is an excellent cook, Mother, and he always looks after me by bringing me snacks during the day.” Draco said fondly.

“Can you not get your own food Draco? Do you rely on Mr. Potter for everything now?” She said accusingly.

“Well actually Mother I couldn’t really at first.” He replied quickly and very seriously. “I was never exactly taught to cook and when I moved out I had no house elf, no money and no clue where to even shop for food. It seems odd that Slytherins value self-preservation yet typically Slytherin households rely on house elves for everything and never teach their children how to look after themselves. Don’t you think?”

His mother looked surprised and sombre all of a sudden. He had cracked her mask. Harry was also looking at him slightly sadly as if remembering his dismal flat and how skinny he had been but when Draco caught his eye he smiled softly at him.

“Yes.” His mother said slowly, her face set back to it’s calm demeanour. “With hindsight that does seem like a bit of an oversight. Perhaps that’s something you can correct when you have your own children Draco?” She said as her face returned to a bit of a smirk.

Ah, so that’s how she’s going to play it in front of Harry. She intends to freak them out or something, test how serious they are. If she thinks she has the upper hand then she can think again though. Draco looked straight at Harry who had started to raise his fork to his mouth but was now frozen and giving Draco a slightly worried look.

“Oh I shall, don’t worry.” He said simply.

Harry dropped his fork. 

“Fuck sorry.” Harry said as a splattering of hollandaise sauce went all over the table. He quickly cleaned up the mess, wandlessly of course which Draco noticed made his mother’s eyebrows rise slightly higher.

Nobody said anything after that slightly awkward moment as they just finished their breakfast in silence. Draco wiped his mouth with his napkin as he finished his last bite. It really had been very good, he had no idea that Harry even knew what eggs royale was let alone make it. Time to make one more playful gamble of his own before leaving Harry and his mother alone.

“That was delicious babe, but I’ve got to go.” He said calmly and tried very hard not to laugh as Harry’s eyes grew wide in surprise. 

He got up from his seat and stood by him for a moment laying a hand on his shoulder. “Good luck at the Ministry sweetie but remember get a contract and bring it home to read properly. I’ll look at it with you tonight.” Harry still seemed too surprised to even reply but kind of nodded and Draco bent down to kiss him firmly on the lips. 

Turning to his Mother he saw she was tight lipped as always. “Mother, be nice.” He warned just before he walked out the room. 

Now that Lucius wasn’t a threat anymore he didn’t have to apparate under the cloak which was nice. In fact he was aiming to give it back to Fred and George so they could recharm it and sell it as they were really expensive and he’d never actually paid for it. Before he left though he quickly transformed into Pierre in the hallway. He wanted to start engaging with his customers more as Pierre like he had been starting to before. It was good for business but he still wasn’t sure about letting them know an ex-death Eater ran the place. 

He apparated right to the front of his shop from Harry’s doorstep and even greeted a few early birds in Diagon Alley as he opened up his own shop for a change instead of Daphne doing it for him. Just as he stepped through the front door Daphne hurried into the shop from the back.

“Oh, it’s you.” She said blinking. “I was worried when I heard the door. I was just about to open up, you’re late.”

“Good morning to you.” He said cheerfully. “Sorry I was late, rather a lot going on at home at the moment.”

“You’re not the only one.” Daphne muttered.

That made Draco stop and frown at her. “You OK?” He asked in a more serious tone.

She sighed and waved her hand dismissively. “Yes, I’m fine I’m sorry. Just being overly dramatic. Everything is peachy.”

“Are you sure Daph?” He said kindly.

Then she frowned at him. “You ever call me that, you hate nicknames.”

“I’m worried about you. You were quiet yesterday.” He commented gently.

“I’m fine darling, honestly.” She said approaching him and laying a hand on his arm. “I’m really pleased I could help with Lucius and I’m glad you’re free of him. You deserve this Draco now live your life OK?”

“OK.” He said, still not entirely convinced. “Is it just pre-wedding stress still at home?”

“Yes, that’s it. Just pre-wedding stress. Anyway, you go to the desk now, go on, you have your first appointment in thirty minutes.” She said quickly. “Oh and Graham is here too by the way, he’s already started downstairs. Fred and George said he can work here today to make up for yesterday.”

“Oh great.” He said but she was already rushing him out the door as the first customers were arriving, not that it mattered if they saw him.

Oh well, he had no idea what pre-wedding stress was like and Astoria plus Mrs Greengrass were a force to be reckoned with, it probably was a bit difficult for Daphne at home he’d have to cut her some slack.

*~*

Ten minutes later just as was looking over the diary and the notes for the day there was a tapping sound at the window. He looked up and smiled as he went to open it.

“Hey Gandalf you beauty.” He said affectionately as the bird flew down to sit on his desk and held his leg out. “What’s Harry writing to me for huh? I hope Mother hasn’t pissed him off already.” He said out loud stroking the owl on the head. He opened the letter and began to read.

  
  


**My Prince,**

**This is cool huh? Me sending you letters at work?! Not sure how early your appointments start but I didn’t want to floo call you in case you were with a customer, that would be awkward.**

**But yeah, letters are nice, why have we never done this before? Well, probably because I can usually just speak my mind at breakfast I guess. I couldn’t respond then so thought I’d write.**

**So speaking of breakfast… what was that?! Babe?! Sweetie?! Since when does that happen? What game are you playing with your mother and why do I have to be in the middle of it?!**

**Beginning to feel very relieved that I was never put in Slytherin, I am not good with these mind games and subtleties of conversation.**

**Good job you asked Hopsy to cook tonight because we need to talk!**

**Thank you for handling that by the way, I didn’t get a chance to say it so that’s why I wanted to let you know now. I kind of like it when you get all poncy and bossy…**

**“Harry and I are the masters here”**

**…I think that might be the sexiest thing you’ve ever said. Is that weird?!**

**Seriously though, I still don’t really know how to deal with Narcissa (sorry, Ms Black!) but I am grateful that you handled her house elf at least. That will make things easier.**

**Also, I wanted to let you know that Ron floo called after you left. Which was great actually as I had an excuse to leave the breakfast table without making awkward small talk with your mother and then had something to say to her on my return!**

**Apparently a reporter heard a rumour about Lucius being admitted to St. Mungos and was trying to harass staff for information. The healers let the Ministry know and they kept him quiet for now but they want to do an official press conference to get ahead of it this afternoon.**

**Williamson is handling it (Ron’s boss, head of the DMLE) but he wanted to know how your Mother wanted to play it so she’s coming with me to the Ministry to have a chat with him and get an update on the case first hand.**

**Although I think me arriving at the Ministry alongside your mother will only fuel rumours… I tried to tell her that I usually go under the cloak but she told me that was “preposterous” and asked me if I was “too good to be seen with her”. So yeah... don’t blame me when that hits the papers but I’m not arguing with her.**

**Thankfully Blaise is taking her off my hands after our morning at the Ministry. I think I might have to send him some flowers or something! He has invited her out to lunch with a fancy divorce lawyer he knows and promised me that it will be a long working lunch.**

**I might just save my extra long run for when she returns though!**

**Right, now she is hounding me from the stairs telling me we need to go even though we don’t need to be at the Ministry for another twenty minutes… she is like you only ten times worse.**

**I’d better wrap this up! Keep Gandalf with you if you want or send him back, whichever, No need to reply unless you want to.**

**You left me so stunned at breakfast with your pet names that I didn’t get the chance to even say goodbye to you!**

**I hope you have a really good day at work. I hope it’s easier now that you don’t have to hide so much even if you are being Pierre and I hope you can relax more.**

**I know you have a lot of work to do this week but please try to rescue me from your mother as soon as you can tonight!**

**Bye babe!**

**Your personal hero x**

Draco shook his head and smiled. He knew Harry would have a few things to say about the ‘babe’ comment. Really he did hate pet names and nicknames but it was funny to tease Harry with them. He got some fresh parchment out and wrote back. He knew that Harry wouldn’t get it until after he got back from the Ministry but there were some things he needed to say to him when Mother wasn’t around so this was a good opportunity.

  
  


_My Secret Snake,_

_Don’t deny it, we both know that you would have coped just fine in Slytherin. You might not realise what game Mother is playing but once I tell you I know that you can play it too._

_It’s more of a test than a game really. She’s challenging you, it is her way of seeing what you’re made of. Since when have you ever backed down from a challenge? You used to find some witty remarks in response to mine after all, even if they weren’t as good. Challenge her back, she’ll like you for it trust me._

_It’s a test of our relationship too, she just wants to see how we work together. I think that’s another reason why she;s staying with us for a bit. We need to show her how good we are as a couple and how serious we are about this. The best thing you can do is just be yourself. Don’t let her get to you, just carry on in your home like you normally would._

_It will all be fine honestly, I promise you. This is a good thing, she’s giving you a chance. If she wasn’t at all open to the idea of us being together then she would have just left. I want you to know that worst case scenario if she makes me choose then it will be you no doubt about it. It’s always been you mon chéri._

_I know you’ll get this after you get back home so I hope the Ministry has gone well. I don’t care about what the papers say, not really, not anymore. I’d still rather they don’t find out about us until we’re ready to tell them but if they do then we’ll face that together just like everything else. I assume people will just think you’re helping Mother with the case which is true really. Besides, Mother has always been good at handling the press._

_I’ll make sure we have time to talk tonight about the Ministry, the case and anything else you want to talk about. Work is busy but Graham is here today to make up for yesterday. Plus I don’t have to worry about leaving Daphne alone anymore so I can always sneak off a little early. I asked Kreacher to clean up my lab at home for me after yesterday’s explosion but I will need to remake the products I lost tomorrow. At least I’ll be around though._

_Also last night was the first time since we started sharing a bed that we didn’t do anything before going to sleep. That has to be a one off, I like our regular routine and I won’t let Mother get in the way of that. Like I said, she needs to know that our relationship is strong, she’ll expect us to have some time alone and that’s what locking and silencing spells are for! Good to know that you like my bossy side, maybe I’ll use that in bed too!_

_Bye sweetie!_

_Your ‘poncy bossy’ Prince. x_

  
  


After that Draco’s working day was just like any other. Fortunately he didn’t have quite as many consultations as the week before given that it was so close to Halloween and those gift orders were in now. He was able to help Graham with his work in between meetings and even show him how to make the more basic shampoos and bath products so he could help with some of the orders tomorrow while Draco focused on the more complicated ones and the perfumes. 

That would certainly make his life easier and hopefully it meant he could spend some more time with Harry this week. He needed to show Harry that he was his priority without letting his customers down but he could do that. It would all be fine.

*~*

He got home at half four after Daphne assured him she would lock up and Graham convinced Draco to let him work some extra hours that evening to get ahead with the orders. He said he lived there and didn’t have anything better to do that evening so he may as well continue to work. Draco agreed gratefully but said that he would pay Graham for any overtime he did that was outside of their original agreement. He could afford that with the money coming in with the business now.

Harry didn’t come to greet him by the front door and he wasn’t in the lounge or the kitchen. He didn’t even have his usual pot of chamomile tea waiting for him on the kitchen table. Kreacher, Hopsy and Mother were nowhere to be seen either and the house felt quiet. 

He went up to Harry’s office and knocked on the door but there was no answer. He opened it anyway and peered in cautiously. What he saw made him smile and shake his head. Harry was asleep at his desk surrounded by pages of scribbled notes on the book, an employee handbook and documents from the Ministry and Draco’s letter from earlier. Harry’s desk really was a mess, he’d have to do something about that but now was not the time. Harry had clearly been too tired to attempt looking through the Ministry stuff having had no sleep last night. 

Draco got out his wand and levitated Harry, then he transfigured the desk chair into a small chaise longue that would be more comfortable and carefully lowered him onto it. He was completely out of it and barely stirred. Draco leaned over to kiss his forehead.

“Sleep well babe.” He said, not quite able to help himself. He really had only meant to say it once as a joke but somehow it just seemed to have stuck as it made him smile every time he thought about it. It was a while before dinner, he would wake him then.

He had hoped to get some time with Harry before dinner but it would have to come after. Now that Harry’s head had left the space on the desk he could see an unsigned contract for an ‘emergency on-call auror and freelance Ministry consultant’. So that was the official role then was it? It was a bit of a mouth full. He might come back and read it in a minute whilst Harry slept but he supposed he should really go and find Mother. It was only polite to tell her he was home.

Two more flights of stairs and he was standing outside his old bedroom. Was it really only two days ago that he’d moved out of here? It seemed like a lot more than that, so much had happened. Then again he felt like he’d been with Harry for years not weeks. He knocked on the door.

“Come in.” Came the familiar aristocratic voice of his mother.

Upon entering the room he smiled at the familiar peaceful light atmosphere in the room, only now it smelt like his mother. It was a bright floral feminine smell of jasmine, freesia and rose but it was slightly too sweet and the scent was not quite clean enough for Draco’s taste.

“You know I could make you a better perfume than this Mother.” He said arrogantly.

“I look forward to receiving it then.” She replied formally.

She was sitting at her small writing desk by the bed looking over some paperwork of her own.

“May I?” He asked, pointing to the bed.

She gave a short courteous nod so he sat down on the edge of the bed. “How was your day? I gather you went to the Ministry and then met with Blaise and one of his contacts?” 

“Yes it has been rather busy.” She said stiffly. 

“Do you want to talk about it?” He asked slightly tentatively.

“Not really but you deserve to know.” She said calmly. She didn’t want for him to respond before he carried on. “Mr. Williamson held a small press conference in which Head Auror Weasley and I both gave a short statement. I believe it will be front page of the Prophet tomorrow but hopefully it will just contain the facts and nothing more. I happen to know the journalist in question had a certain extramarital affair that he wants to remain a secret.”

“So you blackmailed him?” Draco said with a small smile and a raised eyebrow.

“That is such a vulgar word dear.” She said with a smirk.

“So the rest of the case?” He prompted.

“Well it seems Mr. Potter was right to involve the aurors, it really does make everything more straightforward.” She said plainly. “My divorce case would have been more complicated with a private referral to St. Mungos but due to the nature of Lucius’s crimes he has forfeited all legal rights. Mr. Flint is confident that he can grant me all of Lucius’s assets in the divorce, I will get the properties, the vaults, everything.”

“That’s wonderful Mother.” Draco said sincerely.

“Yes I supposed some financial security would be good and it would be nice to have access to the vaults without Lucius analysing everything I spend.” She said with a smile that was more sincere this time. “Of course I will grant you access to your vault too.”

“The one I can only get if I marry a pure blood witch?” He questioned with a sceptical look. 

“I rather think that custom is outdated don’t you?” She said with a knowing look.

Draco’s smile grew. “Yes I must say I agree.” 

He thought about this for a moment, the significance of it. Truthfully he was comfortable now. He had what he needed with the Black vault and Harry had a rather substantial vault of his own. Plus the business vault was steadily growing now. To have his fortune back again would be quite something though, together they would most likely be the richest couple in the wizarding world. 

Once upon a time the thought would have thrilled him but now money didn’t seem to matter as much as it used to. He was happy enough without it yet he couldn’t deny it was always nice to have more. Maybe he could whisk Harry away on a romantic trip. It would definitely be nice to be able to treat his boyfriend properly with his own money. He always said when he could he would treat Blaise and Daphne too when he could. Not that they couldn’t afford their own luxuries but still, it would be a thank you gift.

A large chunk of his money would go into the business as a proper investment now that he could afford it. He would be able to pay Daphne a proper wage and he might even formally employ Graham too but still allow him to live there rent free. He could even hire a part time shop keeper so that Daphne could have some more time off. She had given the business so much of her time but she seemed tired and quiet recently which he didn’t like. She deserved a break. 

Yes, there was a lot he could do with this money. Life just kept getting better and better. He never believed that he could be completely happy but now he was not only happy but he thought it could get even better.

“Mother?” He questioned to get her attention again as they had sat silently for a little while. She looked up from her papers again towards him. “I’m happy for you and- and thank you.” He said sincerely.

“You’re welcome my son.” She said softly as he smiled properly at him, all sense of her formal posture abandoned.

“What about the properties?” He asked.

She paused for a moment before replying. “I have been thinking about them this afternoon. I thought perhaps you would like to have the chateau?”

He was momentarily stunned. “You- You want to give it... to me?” 

“You lived there for four years and I know how fond you are of France, it only seems right.” She replied. “You always seemed more content there on our summer holidays. I believe it might have happier memories for you than the Manor and I want you to have something remaining from your childhood.”

“I… yes, I think that is a fair assumption.” He said, thinking it through. “I would love to have the chateau Mother, it would be nice to go on holidays there. Thank you.”

He swallowed back his emotions at the thought of actually owning the beautiful french building. It definitely needed updating but he could do that, he could get rid of anything that reminded him of Father and make the changes that he wanted to make. There was nothing wrong with the building itself, it was beautiful there and he was still rather fond of it. It had been his escape, the place where he had started to learn who he really was away from his father.

“Of course you can visit it whenever you wish as well Mother.” He said with a smile. “What are you planning to do with the Manor?”

“I still haven’t made up my mind to be honest.” She replied after some consideration. “I am still rather fond of the grounds and it is a beautiful part of the country. However, the Manor will never be mine, it is the epitome of the Malfoy name and I’m afraid it doesn’t have good memories for me anymore, not really.”

“Yes I know what you mean.” He replied bitterly. “I would happily tear it down if it was up to me.”

She looked like she was considering that and then the corner of her mouth lifted slightly. “That is a wonderful idea. I think it would be quite cathartic to demolish it and build something new in its place. Afterall I shall need somewhere to live and given what you said at breakfast it needs to be big enough so that my grandchildren can come and stay with me I expect.”

Draco tried not to react to that. He knew that his mother was just testing him again to make sure he wasn’t just saying it because he thought it was what Harry wanted to hear. The truth was he was still terrified about the idea of being a father but he knew it was what Harry wanted even though they’d never discussed it. He wanted Harry to know he could give him anything he wanted and if that included children then he would embrace it. He’d already made his mind up about that. He just hoped it was still a good few years away.

“Yes that would be a good idea.” He replied simply.

“So you were serious.” She said, giving him a curious look. 

“About Harry? About our future? Yes I am serious.” He said in a very sober tone.

“Very well.” She said simply.

“Is that you giving us your blessing?” He asked with faint amusement but really he knew it wasn’t quite that easy.

“Hardly.” She countered quickly. “I haven’t seen his true colours yet.”

“Oh you will.” He said fondly rising from the bed. “I shall leave you to your paperwork Mother. Shall we say half six for dinner?”

“As you wish.” She said formally once more.

He nodded once to her and then left the room. After checking in with Hopsy about dinner he went to get changed into something more comfortable. His mother wanted to see what they were like here together then fine, she would. He thought smiling to himself as he put on a pair of grey cotton jogging bottoms and a simple black long sleeved top. Definitely not a look his mother would have seen on him before. Then he went to check in on Harry who was still sleeping deeply where he left him.

He always loved looking at Harry when he slept, he looked so peaceful and happy. He sat down on the floor leaning against the chaise longue Harry was on and started to read over the contract from the Ministry. 

About half an hour later just as Draco was reading the employee handbook Harry started stirring. Draco turned his head slightly to look at him as he yawned and stretched. He loved seeing Harry’s beautiful eyes open and always wanted to be the first thing he saw when he woke up. He’d missed it this morning. 

“Hey handsome.” He said smiling at Harry once he was awake.

Harry looked at him confused and then took in his surroundings. “What? When did you get home and what is this I’m lying on?”

“You were asleep at your desk when I came home. It didn’t look very comfortable so I did this.” He said simply as he gestured to the chaise.

Harry groaned and then ruffled his hand through Draco’s hair as he sat on the floor next to him. “I’m so sorry, I wanted to be here when you got in. I didn’t have your tea ready like usual. I guess I was more tired than I realised.”

“Well you didn’t sleep last night it’s understandable.” Draco said gently. “And I know how much you hate paperwork so it’s not surprising that it put you to sleep.” 

“Hmm.” Harry said sleepily. “Let’s talk about the boring paperwork later, get up here I wanna cuddle.”

“You ‘wanna cuddle’?” Draco imitated with amusement. “I don’t do cuddling Potter.”

“That’s a lie.” Harry said, pawing at Draco’s top and half-heartedly trying to pull him up.

Draco shook his head fondly but got up to lie next to Harry anyway. “You tell anyone about this and I’ll hex your cock off.”

Harry turned on his side and shuffled back to make room for Draco to slot in front of him. “That’s a lie too.” He said, moulding his body round him and pressing his hand round against Draco’s chest as they spooned. “You love my cock.” He said into Draco’s ear as he gave it a playful nibble.

“Hmm I suppose I do.” Draco agreed happily. It was nice to be back in Harry’s arms again, their bodies so close together, even if they were fully clothed.

Harry gave his hips and little wriggle as he pressed himself firmly against Draco’s arse. “I bet you’d love my cock somewhere else too.” He whispered seductively.

Suddenly Draco stiffened up. This is exactly what he’d been afraid of, this is why he had wanted to take it slow and had been avoiding talking about sex with Harry. Damn it, he sighed inwardly as he distanced himself from Harry swinging his legs over the side and sitting up.

Harry moved quickly to sit next to him but didn’t touch him. His mood had changed quickly too and now he looked anxious.

“I’m sorry I didn’t mean…” He started awkwardly but didn’t seem to understand what was going on or what to say.

“It’s fine Harry.” Draco said much more confidently than he felt. He didn’t want this to be an issue, not here, not now. He lent over and kissed him to make sure Harry knew it was OK. “I missed you today.” 

“Er, yeah, I erm missed you too.” Harry said, still frowning slightly.

Draco scoffed. “You don’t seem sure.” He pointed out.

“No I am. Of course I missed you, sorry. I just-” He cut himself off and sighed. “I will never ever put any pressure on you but just… will you talk about it with me, some day? I- I don’t mind being the one who… you know, erm, if it helps.”

Draco chuckled lightly again because finding humour in this situation was easier. “Yes I look forward to that conversation when you can’t even say what you mean out loud. You never talk abut sex without blushing.”

Harry opened his mouth to say something and then frowned again, closing it.

Draco just changed the subject. “You should sign that by the way.” He said pointing to the contract he’d left on the floor. “It’s good. It gives you a lot of freedom actually, you’re not really tied into anything. It’s mainly just about confidentiality.”

“Er, yeah.” Harry said trying to get on track with the conversation now. “Yeah, it was a good chat with Kingsley to be honest. Basically they can call me in whenever they feel like it but I’m not actually obligated to say yes to anything. So if they want my help, they’ll ask and I'll decide based on the case and what’s going on in my life on that day I guess. Standard procedure is they will just floo call me to come in but in an absolute emergency they’ll use the band.” He said, giving his ankle a little shake.

“Sounds good Auror Potter.” Draco said with a wink.

Harry snorted. “Did you just wink at me? You’ve never winked at me!”

Just like that the tension was diffused. Draco knew they would have to talk and he’d have to stop being such a cowardly idiot at some point but he just wanted his mother out of the house first. Deal with one situation at a time, he told himself.

“Dinner is at half six by the way.” He said to Harry. “Remember what I said, be yourself and challenge her back.”

“I can do that.” Harry said with a mischievous smile.

*~*

Harry and Draco walked into the kitchen just before half six as Hopsy was busy working away. Harry was now wearing his relaxed loungewear too. He immediately looked at the chair that Narcissa had transfigured at breakfast and scoffed.

“Draco, change that back for me would you? I’ve always been crap at transfiguration.” He said with a smile.

“Good to know there’s something you can’t do.” Draco said, waving his wand at the chair until it looked like all the others.

“I didn’t say I couldn’t do it.” Harry argued. “I just meant that you might do it better.”

“Masters be wanting to eat here?” Hopsy questioned as Harry started setting the table.

“Yes Hopsy it’s just a standard Tuesday dinner remember? I said nothing special.” Draco gave a gentle warning look to the house elf. 

Just then his Mother walked in and looked both of them up and down critically. “Goodness, I feel quite overdressed.” She said in a snobbish tone.

Harry didn’t take much notice and just spoke casually as he finished setting the table. “We like to be comfy don’t we babe?” He said with a cheeky look at Draco. 

Draco couldn’t help but smile but he’d have to tell Harry that if he ever called him babe outside of this little joke then he would get promptly ignored.

“Indeed we do, mon chéri.” He replied affectionately, getting another amused look from his mother.

Harry looked slightly confused but happy.

Narcissa then started looking over the kitchen table and seemed to have the same idea as Hopsy. She addressed Harry as he put a jug of water on the table.

“We’re eating here for dinner too?” She said stiffly with a disapproving look.

Draco knew that look but thought this was just designed to put Harry on edge again. He was about to answer when Harry got there first.

“Oh we only use the formal dining room when we have guests on a weekend. This is just dinner as normal.” He said in a happy friendly voice and giving Narcissa a warm smile. “Only the one course tonight too but if you fancy dessert later there’s ice-cream in the freezer.”

His mother was looking at Harry now and Draco could see the tiniest hint of a smile. 

“I see.” She said simply, her smile disappearing as she glanced at the chair she sat in at breakfast.

“That’s where I always sit, I'm afraid.” Harry said to her, catching her eye. “But this one here should do nicely for you. I’ve put a cushioning charm on it to make it more comfortable.”

Harry pulled out the chair nearest him and waited for Narcissa to take a seat, which she did cautiously, then he pushed it back in for her. She looked faintly impressed but she didn’t say anything.

“So you do have manners, Harry.” Draco said with a smirk. “Good to know.”

“Only for your mother Draco. You can sit yourself down I’m sure.” Harry retorted quickly.

Draco didn’t reply but smiled in encouragement to Harry as he sat down at the table in his usual spot. Harry promptly took his seat too and poured them each a glass of water from the jug in the middle of the table the muggle way. 

“We don’t usually have alcohol with dinner either unless we’re having a proper dinner party.” Harry explained. “I spent the last seven years drinking far too much and Draco only likes to indulge rarely.”

If his mother was surprised by this she didn’t show it, she just took a small sip of her water. “Well it is an education to see you in your… perfectly ordinary life.” She said looking around as if she was unimpressed. “I suppose it is rather... charming in a way. ”

“Thank you Narcissa.” He said warmly as if they were best friends and she had just given him a compliment. 

She looked a little taken aback but fortunately for her she could the slight pause in conversation as Hopsy served dinner to compose herself. 

“I don’t remember granting you permission to call me by my first name and I’m not usually forgetful _Mr. Potter_.” She said after the salmon en croute with vegetables had appeared on all three plates.

Harry simply shrugged and picked up his fork which was very like him. “Well, like Draco said at breakfast, we do things a little differently here and that includes calling people by their first names.” Harry took a small bite of his food and then with his mouth half full he carried on. “Besides, your family.”

Draco’s body froze suddenly just as he was loading up his fork ready for his first bite but tried hard to keep his face blank. Did Harry just call his mother family?

“I seem to have forgotten the moment where you and I became family Mr. Potter, maybe I should see a healer.” She quipped back, picking up her own fork.

“Well for me family has always been the people I chose.” Harry said casually. “I know we’re not actually related, thankfully, but Draco is my family now as are Dromeda and Teddy. That makes us family too.”

His mother raised her eyebrow and looked at Draco slightly amused but said nothing as she started to eat.

Draco gave a slight cough. “Actually we are related... technically.” Harry gave him a horrified look which made Draco laugh. The sound of him laughing made his mother look at him oddly.

“Only distantly, nothing too incestuous don’t worry but you must know that all pure blood families are related by marriage somewhere.” Draco said to Harry.

“Oh right.” Harry said, looking mildly relieved. “Yeah I guess I did know that I just never really thought about it. I don’t know anything about my father’s side of the family other than he was a pure-blood. I know Sirius said my grandparents took him in when he left home at sixteen but I never got the chance to ask him more about them. So who in my family was related to yours?”

“My great Aunt Dorea married a Potter although I cannot recall his name.” Mother said plainly as she ate. 

“We’ll have to get all the old lineage books and family trees from the library in the Manor so you can have a look at them mon ange.” Draco said happily. “That way you can find out more.”

Harry had stopped eating his dinner, whether it was Draco’s french pet name or the offer he wasn’t quite sure. “I- wow, er, yeah that would be great. Thanks.” Ah, the offer then. They both took a mouthful of food again after a while and they all ate in silence for a short time before Harry spoke again.

“Teddy is learning about family trees at school.” He said casually but Draco could tell he was slightly nervous about what was coming. They had discussed it as they lay in bed last night and Draco had encouraged him to bring it up at dinner today so he knew what was coming.

“He goes to school?” Narcissa said, raising her eyebrows. “I would have thought Andromeda would be homeschooling him as we were before Hogwarts.”

“Well we both agreed that homeschooling can sometimes be quite a sheltered experience for children, especially for an only child.” Harry replied. He looked at Narcissa as he said it but he kept all judgement out of his voice.

“Yes I suppose that could be said.” She said back a little coldly but not extremely so.

Harry carried on unaffected. “Wizarding primary schools became much more popular after the war. There seems to be more of a general consensus amongst the population that it is good for young children to interact with others from different backgrounds and cultures.” His voice was slightly quieter and more hesitant than it had been but he was doing well. 

“Anyway, I always pick him up from school on a Wednesday and he is actually coming by tomorrow to look at the Black family tapestry. I thought it might help him with his homework and he was really excited when I told him about it. Dromeda said I could talk to him about his family. He didn’t think he had any other than her but I told him that I was his family too. Like I said, family can be who you choose too but the new magic in the tapestry recognises me as his legal guardian anyway.”

Harry paused for a sip of his water as the others just ate and listened. “I intend to tell him tomorrow about the fact that he does have some family still living in you and Draco. Draco expressed an interest last night in meeting Teddy too so that will be nice. He also said he wanted to meet his Aunt so I have invited Dromeda over for dinner tomorrow alongside Teddy.”

Draco was watching his mother carefully and could tell that she definitely didn’t quite know how to react to this but she seemed to have forgotten all about the little game she was playing with Harry. He knew a little about how she felt, he was nervous too. It was a big step but he had known his answer straight away when Harry had asked him and he thought deep down it was what his mother wanted to. It would be good for them both to have more family and he expected from what Harry told him that it would be good for his Aunt and his little cousin too.

His mother was considering this and she looked up to meet Draco’s eyes. Her mask had shattered and Draco could see her eyes were soft and thoughtful.

Harry had taken some time to eat his dinner whilst Narcissa thought about it but when no one spoke he carried on making her look once more to him.

“As it is a bit of a special occasion I thought we could use the formal dining room for this and perhaps have two courses. I don’t want to overwhelm him but Teddy does love dessert after all and Draco here makes the best treacle tart.” Harry said with a warm smile across to Draco. It would be their first official dinner party with them both cooking together. 

“Of course, if you do not wish to join us Narcissa then that’s absolutely fine. You are welcome to eat in here or Hopsy can even bring a tray to your room. No one is putting any pressure on you.” Harry said gently. “I have told Dromeda that Draco is here but I haven’t said why or that we’re together. I haven’t told her anything about Lucius or that you’re staying with us so she wouldn’t notice your absence but I know it would mean a lot to her and to Draco if you did join us.”

“I would very much like to have you with us too.” He added after a moment with perfect sincerity.

His mother had stopped eating too by now and looked for a moment like she might have a tear forming in one eye but she blinked it away furiously and took a deep breath. When she spoke her voice was soft and delicate, not the stiff formal tone she had been speaking to Harry in. 

“Thank you M-Mr. Pott-”

“Harry.” He interrupted her firmly but not rudely and was looking at her in a way that Draco recognised. It was fierce but also soft in a way that only those green expressive eyes could manage.

She was looking back at him too for a second before she gave a short bow of the head. “Very well. Thank you Harry.” She replied with the first genuine smile she had given him. “I would like that very much.” 

Draco let out the breath he didn’t know he was holding. He could almost feel tears forming in his own eyes. Harry was still doing so much for him, for his mother, for his family. Their family. He was truly remarkable and Draco couldn’t believe how he’d gotten so lucky.

Harry glanced across and caught Draco looking at him. Then he smiled the biggest softest smile. Draco didn’t much care that his mother was there and it was bad table manners. He reached over to cup the side of Harry’s face, his thumb rubbing across the stubble of his jaw.

“Thank you my hero.” He said softly.

Harry took Draco’s hand in his and brought it to his lips right there in the middle of dinner. He kissed the back of Draco’s hand. 

“You’re welcome, my Prince.” He replied fondly.

After that any tension or any games between the three of them was non-existent. True his mother was still a bit quiet but she was always quiet. It was in her nature to be reserved but when he did speak it was just normal. Her whole body language had relaxed and her expression had softened in a way that Draco had only ever seen in their precious few moments alone before. She had never been like this in front of Lucius.

They spoke over dinner about the ministry and Harry’s position there. She didn’t ask Harry any personal questions but she paid attention to what he said and occasionally asked him to elaborate or clarify something. His mother said more about her lunch with Blaise and gave fond opinions on Draco’s two Slytherin friends. She even had a nice word to say about Fred and George. 

Once the meal was over Draco decided to show his mother one of his new favourite things to do and they watched the muggle news together in the lounge. She was equal parts horrified and fascinated by it which was very entertaining. After that they tuned in to his hospital drama called Casualty which Draco had also started watching on occasion. Most of the time he had no idea what was going on with the people but he found the way the muggles treated their patients mesmerising as did she. Harry joined in every now and then to explain things but he said he’d never really watched it before.

All in all it was a very strange but still somewhat relaxing evening. His mother said she was tired and was going to have a bath and retire to bed early which was a bit of a relief. Draco gave her some lavender bath salts he’d made and then went to join Harry who had already gone into their bedroom. Just as he was leaving his mother’s room though she called him back.

“Draco?” 

“Yes Mother.” He said looking at her once again on the top floor landing.

She looked at him curiously for a moment before asking something which he did not expect. “Has Harry told you that he loves you?”

He blinked rapidly in surprise for a minute before replying. “That is quite a... significant word Mother but I- I know that he cares for me a great deal.”

She smiled slightly. “He does you know, I can see it in his eyes. I expect it won’t be long until he tells you.”

Draco didn’t really know how to respond to that so he didn’t. He just stood there like a fool. Was she right? Was Harry really in love with him? Like… for real? His mother took the opportunity to walk back across to him and did something she hadn’t done since she found him at the end of the battle. She hugged him.

It was over quite quickly. It wasn’t the desperate hug of relief it had been then but it was a soft gentle motherly embrace and then she pulled back. She stood in front of him and looked into his eyes once again.

“Anyone who looks at you like that has my blessing.” She said with a smile. “Not that you’d listen to me anyway if I didn’t give it.” She smirked knowingly.

That made me smile. “No I wouldn’t.” He said quickly. Then he took a moment and spoke with more emotion. “It still means the world to me to have your blessing though.” He said quietly.

“Well go put your _boyfriend_ out of his misery and tell him I’ll stop making life difficult for him.” She said putting emphasis on the word but without any hint of aversion to the idea of him having a boyfriend. “The lifestyle here is certainly different to what I am used to but I can see that it suits you. Both of you, you seem happy.”

“We are happy.” Draco said, feeling on top of the world as he turned and practically skipped down the stairs towards Harry.

Upon opening his bedroom door he realised that Harry was in the en-suite brushing his teeth in his boxers. He walked in and wrapped his arms around his waist and kissed him on the back of his bare shoulder. Harry smiled at him in the mirror but Draco hung back and waited until he had finished brushing his teeth.

“You look happy about something.” Harry pointed out as he turned to face him.

“I am.” Draco replied stepping closer to put his arms around Harry’s waist again.

Harry raised his muscly arms up around Draco’s shoulders as he often did and Draco felt the skin of his lower back with his hands.

“I don’t think I could ever get tired of seeing you topless.” He blurted out even though it hadn’t been what he’d meant to say.

Harry laughed. “Well thanks, same to you but what are you so happy about? It can’t just be me topless.”

“It could.” Draco argued with a flirty smile but then became more serious. “You did it Harry, I knew you would.”

“Did what?” Harry questioned looking softly into his eyes.

“Got my mother’s approval. She even said the word ‘boyfriend’ in a fond way.” He said with a grin.

Harry broke out into a relieved and genuine smile. “You serious? She likes me?”

Draco chuckled. “Well she didn’t technically say that she likes you.” He teased. “Her exact words were: ‘Anyone who looks at you like that has my blessing’.” He said softly.

Draco felt Harry bring his hands forward and place them gently on either side of his face as if he was admiring a precious ornament.

“And how do I look at you?” He whispered inches away from Draco's face.

“Like I’m your whole world.” Draco found himself whispering back.

“That’s because you are my whole world.” Harry said, his voice thick with emotion. Then he found Draco’s lips with his own and it was like they were kissing for the first time all over again. Harry broke away just barely and mumbled against Draco’s lips.

“I- I-.” Harry started.

Don’t say it, not now. Draco begged silently. 

He wanted it to be true so badly but he wasn’t ready for it yet. He still had things that he needed to talk to Harry about, important things and he wanted them to connect physically first, properly, in every way. He wanted it so badly that he didn’t even know how to do it because it scared him. 

“I really like you Draco.” Harry said in the end.

Phew.

“I really like you too.” He replied.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you liked this chapter!  
> I love your comments and I reply to every one so please let me know.  
> When will the 'l' word finally happen?!  
> And what's going on in Draco's head regarding sex?!
> 
> Guess we'll find out soon!  
> Oh and we will absolutely get back to the book too. You remember the whole point of this story?!... yeah, me neither!  
> In a serious note it was always my intention to wrap up the 'Lucius' storyline after the sixth year stuff and have Draco and Harry in a good place before using the remaining chapters to focus on seventh year, telling people about their relationship and publishing the book so all that is coming up soon!
> 
> My life is getting busier as lock down eases and I start my business up properly again this week so I'm not quite sure how it will affect updates with this story... sorry in advance!  
> My next update is due on Wednesday evening but it will most likely be Thursday as I am finally seeing my parents for the first time in months on Wednesday!


	31. Harry: Wednesday 26th October

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Teddy and Andromeda come round to Number 12 Grimmauld place and meet Draco and Narcissa for the first time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Dedicating this chapter to Babyowl113 as I love your comments, they've been a real motivator for me! <3
> 
> Lots more fluff here but also some meaningful character developmentss with a couple of different relationships!
> 
> Draco and Teddy <3  
> Ahh! I hope you love it as much as I do!

Tuesday morning had been a bit different but on Wednesday Harry woke up with the familiar feeling that Draco was watching him. He didn’t feel his gaze in a creepy way as he woke but it was more in a protective caring way, like Draco just wanted to make sure Harry slept and also wanted to be the first thing Harry saw when he woke.

“Morning.” Came a warm voice next to him.

“Mm-mor-nin’” Harry croaked out, still half asleep.

Draco chuckled next to him and then he felt a soft kiss on his forehead. After a few moments Harry finally opened his eyes to look at him.

“How do you always look so perfect in the mornings?” He asked, raising his hand to stroke Draco’s hair. “Like seriously, your hair is still immaculate.”

“Of course it is.” Draco said arrogantly with a cheeky smile.

Harry watched as Draco’s expression softened. He felt like things were really getting serious with him now but he was a bit scared about it. Sometimes he worried that this had all happened so quickly and it would end again just as fast. Sometimes he was just worried that it was all just a dream and he would wake up to find it never happened. He didn’t know what he would do if this ended. He was pretty sure that Draco was as serious as he was, he’d said he wanted a future with him. He even casually talked about his kids at breakfast in front of his mother yesterday. Harry hadn’t asked him about it but he couldn’t stop thinking about it. Did Draco really want what he wanted? Did he want to get married one day? Did he want a family?

Harry was crazy in love with him, that much he knew but he hadn’t told Draco yet. He didn’t know how Draco would react, what if it was too soon? What if Draco didn’t love him back? Sometimes Harry thought he did though, it was in the way he looked at him. He knew that he wanted this forever and Draco had practically said as much too but then why was he still holding back? 

They were still physical with each other a lot, last night in bed had been fun, but it didn’t feel as desperate and as needy as it had been before. There was tension there as they continued to do the same things without taking it any further or without speaking about it. Harry didn’t want to push Draco but he wanted to know what was going on in his head. The blowjobs and handjobs were amazing still, Harry would never get enough of them but he couldn’t deny he wanted more. He wanted to connect physically to Draco in every way. He thought he might understand where Draco’s hesitation came from, with what he’d told him but he wanted to show Draco that he could make it good for him. He just didn’t know how to approach it. 

Then he had an idea.

He sat up in bed and took Draco’s hand in his.

“You know how before you couldn’t go out and about because of Lucius? Well you can now right?” He asked cautiously.

“Yes, I guess so.” Draco replied giving Harry a curious look.

“I- I was thinking that I’d like to take you out, you know, on a proper date. We’ll go somewhere muggle.” Harry added as Draco looked a bit worried but then he thought he’d better explain that too in case Draco took offence. 

“Not because I don’t want to be seen with you or anything but just because I want to focus entirely on you and enjoy it without worrying about anyone else. I know you’re already my boyfriend and we’re living together but it’s a bit crazy that we haven’t actually been on a date don’t you think?” Harry pointed out.

Draco laughed slightly. “It does sound a bit ridiculous when you put it like that. Trust us to do everything backwards.”

Harry ran his thumb over the back of Draco’s hand that he was still holding. “So what do you say? Will you go out with me?” He asked with a grin.

“Yes Harry, I’ll go out with you.” Draco said, shaking his head slightly in amusement.

“Great.” Harry said leaning forwards to kiss him. “How about Saturday night?” He asked seriously.

“I don’t have any better plans.” Draco shrugged.

“Good to know, thanks.” Harry huffed and rolled his eyes.

Draco laughed again and pulled him close. He pressed his lips against Harry’s and then took it further, giving him the sort of kiss that left him breathless and wanting more. 

“I’m really looking forward to it.” He said quietly against Harry’s lips and then he bit down on his bottom lip playfully before he broke away properly.

Harry could still feel his bottom lip tingling slightly in the best way and automatically brought his thumb up to touch it. Draco was looking at him and smiling as he lay back against the headboard again and looked up slightly at the ceiling. Harry watched as Draco’s mood went from playful to slightly more serious and remembered about what today would bring for him.

“You feeling OK, you know… about later?” He asked gently.

Draco continued to look away from him but he nodded slowly. “I think so.” He replied seriously considering his feelings before he spoke again. “I am nervous, I want to make a good impression but I am looking forward to it as well.”

“You’ll be fine, just be yourself.” Harry reassured him, reaching out to run his fingers along the soft skin of Draco’s arm. 

“What- what’s she like? My aunt?” He asked quietly, still looking at the ceiling.

“Well she does look remarkably like Bellatrix at first so be prepared for that.” He thought it best to warn Draco and saw a slight shiver go down his spine as he did so. “But she’s nothing like her really of course.” He said quickly.

Harry thought about it for a moment working out the best way to explain Dromeda. “I definitely see some similarities between her and your Mother, especially after seeing Narcissa’s softer side last night. She’s mostly quiet, quite introverted I guess a bit like you and your Mother. She speaks a little bit like Narcissa too, not as stiff maybe but still quite formal I suppose. She can be quite strict when she needs to be and I wouldn’t want to get on her bad side but you can tell how considerate she is. She absolutely adores Teddy and the Weasley children too and she is quite motherly but not in an overbearing way. Actually, thinking about it, she’s almost a perfect mix of your Mother and Molly.”

Draco smiled a little at that raising his eyebrow as he finally turned back to Harry. “That is quite an interesting combination. I am intrigued.”

“She will love you.”  _ Just like I do _ , he added in his head. “They both will” 

There was a brief smile floating through Draco’s expressions again before he looked slightly worried once more. “Harry, I- I don’t know how to be around children.” He confessed in a quiet lost little voice.

“You don’t need to behave any differently really in front of Teddy, I don’t really.” Harry shrugged. “He’s- well he’s quite a special child. He’s very emotional and he can be quite different in different moods. Today I expect he will be just as nervous as you so he might be quiet, I honestly don’t know. He can be shy around new people. He’s very clever and quite mature for his age though, you can talk to him about anything and he’ll probably understand. He’s quite curious too so if he does start to relax then expect a lot of questions. He’ll probably want to talk to you about what you do but he’s fascinated by the Weasley shop so he’ll enjoy hearing about it. If you’re not sure how to handle anything he asks about then I can take over but we’ve always tried to be as honest as possible with him whilst trying to remember that he’s still a child.”

Draco was still looking nervous and unconvinced. Harry so badly wanted to ask if he meant what he said about children but he just didn’t think today was the day. Draco had enough on his mind. He had to admit he was curious though about how Draco would be with Teddy.

“Just watch his hair.” Harry said helpfully. “He can’t really control it yet. He’s starting to but mostly it happens by accident depending on his mood. It’s like a handy code, you’ll pick it up soon enough. If he’s playful it’s usually bright blue. If he starts getting cross it goes red, yellow is for when he’s curious or thinking. Stuff like that really. If he’s thinking about someone in particular or wants to impress them then he usually mimics their look. Dromeda says that usually when he’s not with me then his hair black and his eyes green because he misses me. I don’t often see that though. You’ll know if he starts feeling sad, or insecure when his hair goes a mousy brown colour and his eyes usually go brown too.”

Harry paused for a moment and swallowed thickly looking at the wall ahead. “It’s when he looks exactly like Remus. We think that’s his natural look but it’s hard to tell.”

He felt Draco grip his hand and he turned to find him looking at him softly. “You really love him don’t you?” Draco said quietly and curiously.

Harry just nodded slowly. Like my own child, he said silently.

Draco was quiet for a moment before he spoke again, his voice soft and full of wonder. “It’s strange isn’t it, how we find each other again in this way after all these years and it turns out that your chosen family is my family too. Almost like it’s meant to be. Like we really can be a family all together.”

At those words Harry suddenly felt his chest constricting and his eyes welling up. Like the family he’d always wanted, he thought. They were just such beautiful, powerful words. He never cried, yet with Draco he felt like his emotions were always just under the surface in the best possible way. It wasn’t sadness, it was just overwhelming… well, it felt like love, but they hadn’t said that yet.

“Harry…?” Draco questioned after Harry had been looking away at the wall again for a few moments. “I’m sorry, did I say something wrong?” He asked tentatively.

Harry immediately turned back to face him and pulled him close into a hug. “No Draco, what you said was perfect. You’re perfect.” He said over Draco’s shoulder as Draco nuzzled happily into his neck now he knew it was OK.

They cuddled silently for a while. Even though Draco kept insisting that he wasn't a cuddly person, they seemed to do it remarkably often.

“Will your Mother be ok entertaining herself today?” He asked after a while.

Draco laughed slightly. “Yes I expect to, she is used to it after all.”

Harry screwed his nose up slightly in a confused sort of way. “Yes but what does she actually do all day?”

“She likes reading.” Draco said casually, as if it was no big deal.

“Do all witches and wizards like reading?” Harry questioned in amusement. “Reading and chess seems like all there is to do!”

“Hardly, there is also art and music, Mother enjoys both of those.” Draco countered. “She’s talking about demolishing the Manor and building somewhere new for herself in its place. I imagine drawing up the plans will keep her busy.”

That was unexpected. “Oh really? Wow.” Harry found himself saying. “Are you OK with that? We haven’t really spoken about what happens now with your parents divorce and stuff.”

Draco didn’t seem upset with it though. “Oh I’m fine. I never planned on returning there anyway.” He said content. “I’m pleased for mother, it will be good for both of us I expect. She’s announced to the world now that she is separating from Lucius and returning to her birth name which I have also taken. It will be in the paper this morning I expect. I am happy to finally say we’re no longer Malfoys. The name is gone and the Manor will be gone with it. Hopefully people will see now that it wasn’t us it was just him and they might not judge me so harshly.”

Harry reached out and pulled Draco into his chest wrapping his arms around him. “They will, I'm sure.” He said quietly. “Even if they don’t, I won’t care though and neither should you.”

“I know.” Draco spoke softly into his chest. “Thank you.”

Harry ran his fingers through Draco’s hair and as he leaned against him. “Once we publish the book they will understand too. I’ll work on the next chapters of the war this morning. I know we said no time limit but, well I was thinking it would be good to get it out soon.”

“Yeah?” Draco questioned sitting up again so he could look at Harry’s face. “What prompted this?”

“Well it’s just like you were saying with the divorce and Lucius’s case hitting the papers, the world will see what he’s really like. It just might be a good time to get your story out there too but only if you want to obviously.” Harry said hoping he was saying the right thing.

“So it’s my story now?” Draco asked with a raised eyebrow. “I thought it was your story but just featuring me plus others?”

“It’s our story.” Harry said quietly.

Draco smiled softly. “Yes, I suppose it is.”

*~*

Even with Draco’s mother around it was a relatively normal Wednesday morning for Harry and Draco’s new routine. Breakfast was much more tolerable now that Narcissa was being friendlier. She was still a bit stiff and formal but speaking with her felt less like a battle of wits and more like a normal conversation now. 

The first meal of the day was vastly improved when two beautiful eagle owls had appeared at the kitchen window. Draco had jumped straight up and had petted one of them so fondly that there was no doubt who she belonged to. Aquila was a very clever owl and seemed to sense that it was time she returned to her former owner. 

Draco had allowed her to remain on his shoulder throughout breakfast and Harry was happy at the sight. She was every bit as regal as he was and the pair suited each other. Hopefully she would get on well with Gandalf and the hobbits in the owlery. The hobbits were what they collectively called Draco’s four brown business barn owls. They’d named them Frodo, Sam, Merry and Pippin of course.

The other owl was Narcissa’s and had bought her a copy of the Daily Prophet as she had taken out a subscription yesterday. Lucius crimes and mental state were front page news of course but Narcissa seemed to be pleased with the article as did Draco. He wasn’t really mentioned much other than his name change was now public knowledge. Harry had no idea how she’s achieved it but the article was actually very factual and flattering. Draco was clearly right, his mother did know how to handle the press. Perhaps she could teach Harry her tricks, or just become his personal press consultant.

Harry didn’t need to worry about how she would spend her time when he was writing as it turned out she had various plans of her own. It seemed she did not share Draco’s reservation about being in the public eye. She seemed very keen to enjoy her new freedom and show the world she had nothing to hide. She was also keen to get the divorce settled as soon as possible so had an appointment at Mr Flint's office this morning, the divorce lawyer Blaise introduced her to. Draco also seemed surprised to learn that Daphne’s mother had invited her out to lunch. Apparently they had never really got on but suddenly out of nowhere they seemed to be friendly now.

It meant that they didn’t need to make a show and dance about lunch anyway so Harry just made a nice chicken salad wrap and took it down to Draco in his lab as normal after they’d both been doing their own thing for hours.

“Hey you.” He said affectionately as he walked into the room of the cellar where Draco spent much of his time.

“Oh is it lunchtime already?” Draco said from his workbench, barely looking up.

“Yep, you got time for a quick break?” Harry said putting the plate on the end of the table.

“Suppose so.” Draco sighed reluctantly.

“I can go.” Harry said quickly. “Just make sure you eat.”

He turned to leave but then he felt two arms around his waist pulling him back.

“No, don’t go.” Draco whined over his shoulder.

Harry chuckled and turned back to face him. “OK. If you insist.”

He pulled himself up to sit on one of the empty workbenches whilst Draco perched on a stool at the one he was currently working at. “Thanks for this.” Draco said picking up the wraps and beginning to eat.

Harry, who had already enjoyed his wrap in the kitchen, looked around the room to see that Draco had clearly been quite productive this morning. 

“You made all those today?” He said pointing to the box of posh perfume bottles, each with a unique gold label.

Draco nodded as he finished his mouthful. “I wanted to get a good start so I could finish a bit early today. That treacle tart won’t make itself after all.”

“True.” Harry said smiling. “But Kreacher can always make it if you don’t-”

“No.” Draco interrupted him with a scowl. “I want to make it.”

“OK great, I was just checking.” Harry replied.

Draco paused his eating and looked thoughtful for a moment.

“What’s up?” Harry asked when he’d been quiet for a short time.

“I’ve been thinking this morning, brewing helps me think.” He said quietly.

“OK.” Harry prompted slowly. “What have you been thinking about?”

“About what I want to write for the book.” He answered slowly. “I know we talked about sixth year and I said I’d write a bit, you know, about Dumbledore and that night.” Draco said considering his words. “But I’d like to write a bit from before then, I’d like to write about- about getting my mark.”

Harry took a deep breath. It had been something he wondered about of course but he hadn’t liked to ask. He knew the why and roughly when but it didn’t know the how and other details.

“Of course.” He said gently. “I didn’t think you’d want to include it but we can put it after the fifth year chapters before the start of sixth year.”

Draco simply nodded again as he put down the half eaten wrap. “It’s just been on my mind, with everything with Lucius. I think you were right. What you said this morning I mean. My name was in the paper for the first time in years today and I just think the timing might be right.”

“Well we have a big chunk done already. Both our sections from first to fifth years are complete aren’t they? And they read well?” Harry asked.

Truthfully, he wasn’t quite sure. Mostly to him they had just been pages of notes but Draco had been the one that made them fit together well and read as a story.

“Yes those are all done.” Draco confirmed.

“OK, well there won’t be anything in there that Kingsley needs to check.” Harry said, thinking out loud. “Why don’t I get those sent off to Luna to proof read while we get the last bits written? Just to make a head start?”

“Yes do that.” Draco agreed. “And I’ll speak to Blaise about getting a publisher lined up. I can write my remaining sixth year sections tomorrow night and then maybe we can use Sunday to get started on your horcrux hunt.”

“Sounds like a good plan but not sure how much time we’ll have Sunday..” Harry said with a smile. “I would skip lunch to work on the book with you but it’s Molly’s birthday.”

“Oh. Well of course you have to go Harry.” Draco insisted. “We’ll have time in the evening and we’ll make more time next week.” Draco hesitated for a moment then frowned. “Have you got her a present?”

Harry chewed his lip slightly nervously for what he was about to ask. “Well, erm I was sort of hoping you’d be her present.”

“Excuse me?” Draco asked with a raised eyebrow.

Harry sighed slightly and ran his hands through his hair. “Well I asked her what she wanted and she said that nothing would make her happier than meeting my boyfriend so I wondered if- well, if you wanted to come?”

There was a brief flicker of panic in Draco’s expression.

“Sorry.” Harry said quickly. “Forget it, I was just joking. I’ll buy her a fruit basket on Saturday or something.”

“No… it’s OK.” Draco said slowly.

“It is?” Harry questioned optimistically.

“Yes.” Draco said, still not seemingly completely sure. Then he sighed. “Well we’re telling Aunt Andromeda and Teddy today. I’m sure if you say she’s like a mother then my Aunt will know how to be discreet but a seven year old won’t. Presumably he will be at the Burrow on Sunday and you can’t trust him not to say my name so they will all find out soon enough anyway.”

“Oh shit yeah.” Harry said, feeling foolish. “I hadn’t thought of that.”

Draco scoffed. “Why am I not surprised?”

Harry pretended to be insulted but Draco knew he was just playing around. After a moment he carried on more seriously.

“You’ve promised Ronald a full explanation on Friday anyway yes? So I assumed he will know by Sunday anyway and presumably Gra-  _ Hermione _ too.” Draco said, picking up his wrap again to take another bite.

“Yeah, if that’s OK. I was going to ask you about it properly.” Harry said slightly uncomfortably as they hadn’t really spoken about what a ‘full explanation’ meant.

“Of course Harry.” Draco said casually. “I meant what I said about not hiding from your family anymore. I know it’s been hard for you to not tell them and I don’t want that for you.”

“Ok then, well thanks.” Harry said sincerely but then running his hand through this hair. “Are you sure about Sunday though? I was going to tell them all about you beforehand so it’s not a shock seeing you. It doesn’t have to be this week I know it’s a lot.”

“Well I have to face them at some point and it’s probably better to actually be there just after the big reveal. If they all know by then and I’m not there then they’ll only moan about your hideously inappropriate boyfriend who they all hate behind my back” Draco said in a fake humorous tone with a bitter note underneath.

“They wouldn’t do that and anyway Fred and George don’t hate you.” Harry pointed out trying to be helpful. “Neither do Bill and Charlie to be fair. They don’t know you.”

“I’m sure they know about me.” Draco said resentfully.

Harry shrugged. “Well yeah sure but they’re decent guys and pretty laid back. Fleur will like you too so that’s half the group. You’d have already met Dromeda and Teddy by then as well. It’s mostly Ron, Hermione and Ginny I’m worried about but Ron’s already seen you once again so that will help. Fred and George will fight our corner anyway. It will all be fine.”

“If you say so.” Draco said flatly and took a last bite of his wrap.

“I do.” Harry said stubbornly.

Draco was reflective for a moment as he finished off his lunch. “Has Daphne met the Weasley clan yet?” 

Harry shook his head. “No, I think they all know apart from Molly and Arthur now. George said he’d tell them before the wedding though just in case there was a picture of them together or something but Daphne just hasn’t had the time recently.”

“No I suppose not.” Draco said thoughtfully. “I was wondering if I could convince her to come too so I’d have a friendly face but the day before the wedding is probably too much to expect.”

“Probably.” Harry agreed reluctantly as it would have been nice. “But you will have friendly faces there.”

Draco shrugged and nodded slightly in acceptance.

Harry paused for a second, the moment weighing down on him slightly before he took the plunge. “So, erm, this is starting to feel really real now huh? Us, I mean… now that we’re telling people.” He said a bit awkwardly.

Draco frowned at him slightly and seemed to be cautious with his words. “Yes, I suppose it is.” He said slowly. “Are you OK with that?”

Harry’s eyes widened slightly and his grip in the back of Draco’s neck tightened slightly in reassurance. “Of course I am.” He said quickly. “I thought you might not be that’s all, I was supposed to be checking with you.”

“I have nothing to lose.” Draco said casually and although they were standing close, he seemed to be avoiding Harry’s eye. “The three people in my life already know and have accepted it. This is your family now, if they don’t accept it then…” He trailed off, not finishing his thought.

“They will.” Harry said stubbornly.

“You don’t know that.” Draco said quietly.

Harry could tell that Draco was worrying about this, he knew by now that Draco was much more insecure than he let on.

“I do know that.” Harry insisted. “Because if they don’t then they will lose me which they won’t let happen so… well they don’t really have a choice.”

Draco looked up at him then and seemed to be trying to work out the meaning between Harry’s words. “Are you saying…? What are you saying?”

“I just…” Harry broke away not sure how direct to be. “You’re worried that if they don’t accept our relationship that I’m going to break up with you or something?” He asked, deciding to be direct after all.

Draco looked away again and this time he let his hands slip away from Harry’s waist. “Well you might.” He mumbled quietly and went to step away.

Harry stepped closer so Draco wouldn’t escape. He brought his hands round to Draco’s face, cupping his chin and gently forcing him to look back. “I won’t.” He said firmly, looking at Draco intensely and willing him to believe it.

“What do I need to say to you to show you how serious I am about this Draco?” He said almost pleadingly. He knew something he could say but he still wasn’t sure if this was the moment.

“I... I-” He started to say but for some reason he still couldn’t bring himself to say it. “I can’t see myself ever breaking up with you.” He said instead.

Draco was looking into his eyes and he seemed to really want to believe Harry’s words but there was still a slight barrier there which Harry could sense. It was strange. 

They had come so far in such a short space of time yet suddenly it felt like there was still a long way to go. Last week they had been so relaxed with each other, finally sleeping in the same bed, being naked, having fun, chatting and exploring each other in every way. Harry felt like he’d broken all of Draco’s barriers. Yet this week their relationship seemed like it had reached a level that neither of them knew how to navigate and self-doubt was creeping back in.

“I mean it.” Harry said when Draco still hadn't spoken. “It will all be fine I promise. My family will accept you, will accept us and no one is going to break up with anyone.” He insisted.

“OK Harry. If you say so.” Draco said with a small smile.

*~*

Harry went back to writing in his study after lunch. It hadn’t been too bad so far. He’d struggled a bit with Dumbledore’s funeral but then he decided to just gloss over most of that summer. Although he knew he would have to write about what George had titled ‘the battle of the seven Potters’. George would never forgive him if he didn’t put the tragic tale of how he'd lost his ear in the book as it was one that George often liked to tell. 

They had joked about it enough times but writing about it in a serious way was much harder, especially when he talked about losing Hedwig and ‘Mad-Eye’ Moody. It was nice though to list all the people who had helped him escape Privet Drive and he found himself immensely grateful for them once again. It hurt to write the names of Remus and Tonks but then he smiled at the memory of meeting Dromeda for the first time that evening after very unceremoniously crashing into their pond. He thought about that every time he saw the pond that was still there in the house that he now visited every week.

He mentioned briefly how he knew he'd have to leave Hogwarts and finish what Dumbledore started. How he thought he’d have to do it alone but how Ron and Hermione had been there for him yet again and wouldn’t take no for an answer.

He wrote about Bill and Fleur’s wedding but not in any real detail. It had been that evening that open war had properly started though with the fall of the Ministry. Then they’d had their first encounter with snatchers even though they’d had no idea then about the taboo on Voldemort’s name. It had been scary how quickly they had found them. 

He had just finished writing the whole story about Regulus and the locket and how they’d discovered the current whereabouts of the real locket when it was time to go and collect Teddy. Narcissa still wasn’t home but he checked in on Draco quickly before he left. Draco had indeed managed to be productive enough to finish work early and start he would get a start on the baking whilst Harry spent some time with Teddy. 

After a quick chat up with Fleur at the school gates, he spotted Teddy running out of the classroom with bright blue hair. He crouched down and Teddy ran straight into his arms. Then Harry started tickling him until both of them were on the floor laughing. Out of the corner of his eye he thought he saw a camera flash but when he straightened up he couldn’t see anything. So far by some miracle they’d managed to keep the name of Teddy’s school and the fact that Harry picked him up every Wednesday a secret. Hopefully Harry was just being paranoid and there wasn’t a journalist around. 

“Hey Teddy bear.” Harry said fondly, standing up and ruffling Teddy’s messy hair.

“We still goin’ to your house t-today?” Teddy said looking up at him with bright blue sparkling eyes to match his hair.

“Yep. That OK?” Harry asked with a smile and watched Teddy’s grin growing wider.

“Yeah!” Teddy said enthusiastically as he held on tighter to Harry’s hand. 

Harry couldn’t really talk to Teddy properly here and was still slightly concerned about the camera flash he thought he’d seen so he was eager to leave. Fortunately Teddy had enough experience with side-along apparition now to hold on tight and expect the sensation. A second later they were both on the doorstep of number 12 Grimmauld Place.

They stepped in and Teddy’s hair immediately turned yellow as he looked around curiously at the hallway. Harry took Teddy’s coat and hung it on the reasonably new coat rack in the hallway that he had to admit was useful. Then Harry sat on the bottom of the stairs for a moment so he could be more on Teddy’s level. 

“So before we go exploring in my house I need to tell you that there are some other people here too.” He said gently to Teddy.

“Who’s here?” Teddy said with wide interested eyes. “Is it the Wheezelees?”

Harry laughed slightly. “No it’s not the Weasleys, you’ll see them again on Sunday at the Burrow like normal. You remember last week we talked about me having a boyfriend like Aunt Ginny?”

Teddy nodded and listened eagerly.

“And you’ve met Aunt Ginny’s boyfriend a couple of times now?” Harry continued.

“Yeah I know Ollie, he’s my f-fwiend. He said I could go watch a wid-ditch practice soon!” Teddy exclaimed, happy.

“Quidditch.” Harry corrected automatically and smiled as Teddy said the word again to himself but correctly this time. 

“Is it Ollie who’s here today?” Teddy questioned seriously with his head tilted to one side.

“No not Ollie.” Harry said, shaking his head slightly. “Today I’d like you to meet my boyfriend. Him and his mother are here and they’re going to have dinner with us later when Granny comes.”

Teddy seemed to be processing this new information as his hair went from yellow to green. Harry thought that was a good thing but it was hard to tell sometimes with Teddy. “I-I get to meet your b-boyfwiend?!” He said half excited and half nervous.

“Yes Teddy. If you want to.” Harry said carefully.

“I want to!” The little boy answered straight away.

“OK then.” Harry said happily. “Well I think he’s in the kitchen making a yummy dessert for you later. We’ll say a quick hello and then we’ll go and do your homework. Once that’s done you can spend more time with him.”

“OK.” Teddy agreed enthusiastically. 

Harry led Teddy through to the kitchen where he was surprised to see Narcissa and Draco drinking chamomile tea together at the kitchen table. He expected Draco to be baking but he couldn’t smell anything and he didn’t realise Narcissa was home.

Teddy had initially seemed excited but straight away when he entered the kitchen his clung onto Harry’s leg and Harry noticed his hair faded to a mousy brown colour.

“Good afternoon Narcissa.” Harry said in a polite but friendly greeting to Draco’s mother and then sent a smile Draco’s way.

At this point Teddy was completely hiding from their view behind Harry’s legs.

“Well there was a little someone I was going to introduce to you but I don’t know where he is.” Harry said a bit dramatically to Draco and Narcissa trying to make Teddy laugh. “Let me see if I can find him but I warn you he is very good at hiding.”

He felt a little foolish play acting in front of Narcissa but he cared more about putting Teddy at ease than looking like an idiot in front of her. He wasn’t sure what Draco would make of it either but hopefully he would find it cute or something. He started reaching behind him to playfully grab Teddy but kept his movements slow so that Teddy could easily dodge them. 

“Teddy? Teddy are you there?” He was saying as he moved around pretending to look for him.

Teddy had started giggling now but was trying his best to be quiet. 

Draco looked like he was trying not to laugh and Narcissa was just giving Harry a curious look. After a short time of Harry ‘trying but failing’ to catch Teddy he gave a dramatic shrug. 

“Sorry guys, I have no idea where he’s gone you might just have to meet him later.” He said pretending to be giving up.

Just then Teddy ran round in front of him and started jumping up and down to make himself seen in front of Harry. His hair was bright blue again so Harry had obviously done a good job of making him less nervous. 

“I’m right here Uncle Harry!” He said laughing. “You silly, you c-couldn’t find me!”

“Oh there you are my little Teddy bear!” Harry said picking Teddy up in his arms. Even though he was a bit big for that now he still always seemed to love it. Today though he frowned slightly at Harry and then looked slightly nervously again towards Draco and Narcissa.

“No Uncle Harry. I not little anymore.” He insisted with a slight pout.

“No of course you’re not, sorry.” Harry pulled out the nearest chair at the kitchen table and put Teddy on top of it so he was standing on the chair. “There, you’re bigger than everyone now.” He said smiling.

Teddy seemed to gain some confidence from his new found height and looked down at Draco and Narcissa proudly. He straightened up and looked much more serious as his hair turned again blue to jet black matching Harry’s. That was strange, Harry though as he watched Teddy’s eyes change to green. He can’t be missing him and he was right there. He wondered whether this was a deliberate choice for Teddy and what that meant as he mimicked Harry’s look.

“Hello. My name is Edward Re-remus Lupin.” He said in a very grown up voice. “It is nice to m-meet you.”

Narcissa was the first to respond as she stood up at the table and reached over to offer her hand to Teddy. “Hello Master Lupin. My name is Narcissa Black, it is a pleasure to meet you.”

Teddy looked at the hand and then shook it firmly thinking that was the right thing to do. “Are you a fr-iend of Uncle Harry’s?” He asked Narcissa, concentrating hard on the ‘r’ sound to get it right.

Harry watched in amusement as Narcissa met his eye and gave the tiniest smile. She then looked back to Teddy. “Yes, I suppose so.” She said in her formal tone.

“Then you can call me Teddy.” He said happily then he turned to look at Draco. “Are you Uncle Harry’s boy-fr-iend?” 

Draco met Harry’s eye and smiled fondly, then looked back at Teddy. “Yes I am, I’m Draco. It is really nice to meet you Teddy.”

“That’s a funny name.” Teddy said, frowning slightly at Draco. “What does it mean?”

“It means Dragon.” Draco said smiling at Teddy, who was still standing on the chair with Harry’s arm around him.

Teddy’s bright green eyes went wide in wonder. “Wow. That is cool. Did you know that my Uncle Harry f-fought a dragon once? Uncle Charlie said it was the biggest meanest dragon, much more scarier than the d-dragon my Aunt Fleur got.” Teddy chatted away excitedly wobbling a bit on the chair. 

“Scarier or more scary Teddy, not more scarier.” Harry tried to explain as he lifted Teddy off the chair now and to the safety of the ground. “And Draco knows that, he was there.” Harry said, giving Draco a quick wink across the table remembering what he’d once said about hot guys on broomsticks with dragons. He still can’t believe that there was a part of Draco that found him attractive way back then.

Teddy had decided on that fact alone that Draco must indeed be ‘cool’ and was now begging him to tell the story of Harry ‘fighting’ a dragon.

“You already know the story Teddy. Your uncles have told it to you a hundred times.” Harry said, rolling his eyes. 

“Yeah but I wanna hear Draco tell it.” Teddy whined slightly.

“I tell you what.” Harry started. “If you’re good today then maybe I can tell you the story of how we set a dragon free from Gringotts because I haven’t told Draco that one, not properly.”

Draco gave Harry an amused look and was shaking his head slightly. Narcissa was just a curious bystander in all of this. Teddy enthusiastically agreed and promised he would be good.

“Right, well remember the reason why we came here today?” Harry addressed him. “We need to do your homework on the family tree. So let’s leave Draco and Narcissa in peace for now and you can see them again in a little while OK buddy?” 

“OK.” Teddy said smiling, still looking like Harry for some reason. 

“Narcissa?” Harry said, addressing Draco’s mother for only the second time that afternoon. When she looked up at him he continued. “It’s erm, well it’s not a big deal but I wonder if I might ask a- a favour of you, if you have time.”

“You may ask and I shall see whether I have the time or not.” She said with a slight smile.

“Er, right OK.” He said slightly awkwardly. She still made him feel a bit on edge. “Well you did seem to be really good at handling the press yesterday and Draco suggested that you might want to help out in future if I or we ever have any, er, difficulties.”

This time she smiled properly at him. “Ah yes, managing the press is one of my favourite past times. I would be happy to assist you.”

“Great thanks.” Harry said, a bit relieved. “Well to be honest it might be nothing and I’m not really sure what you could even do about it-”

“Never underestimated me Harry.” She interrupted him and smirked. “There are a great many things I could do.”

“Erm, of course.” He said quickly, not wanting to offend her. “Well I’m pretty sure I was photographed picking Teddy up from school today and it’s not that I mind that particularly, he has been in the paper with me before, but I just really don’t want the location or name of his school to get out. I can’t have journalists there harassing staff or anything and I wouldn’t want to put Teddy’s safety at risk.”

“Leave it with me.” Narcissa said simply but confidently.

“Great, OK, well thanks.” He stammered out, still not really sure what she could do but happy that she was willing to help.

Teddy was tugging on his leg slightly eager to get going.

Harry went round to give Draco a quick kiss ignoring the giggling that was coming from Teddy. “Happy baking.” He said happily. “I’ll come and join you in the kitchen in a bit.”

Draco just nodded and said bye to Teddy as he sat back down next to his mother. Harry wondered whether they had been talking about something important when he interrupted and then felt a bit guilty about it. He ushered Teddy out of the room to give them some more time to talk if needed. 

He led Teddy to the drawing room where he spent the next hour showing Teddy the tapestry and explaining all the different people on it and how they were connected. Teddy had been thrilled when he’d seen his own face on there especially as it was linked to Harry. He traced the thread linking the two of them in awe and then he traced back up the thicker thread that linked him to Tonks and Dromeda. He’d paused for a while over his mother’s picture and seemed very reflective until he noticed something else. That was when he had noticed Draco and then Narcissa on the tapestry too. 

It had been a bit tricky for Harry to explain it all but he fumbled through and thought he did a decent enough job. Teddy had been absolutely stunned to find out that he had more family. For a moment Harry thought he was going to cry but the tears that started forming in his eyes never actually fell. Harry knew he wasn’t sad though. He was overwhelmed but he was happy. It was a lot for a child to take in but he was coping amazingly well with it all and Harry was proud of him. 

The conversation lasted longer than Harry thought it would and it was they hadn’t actually gotten round to drawing the family tree yet but Harry was keen to get started on the lasagne that he wanted to make for dinner. He suggested to Teddy that he could do his drawing on the kitchen table while Harry cooked and that maybe Draco would help him hoping that Draco wouldn’t mind.

It turned out to be well timed as Draco had just finished his baking and the treacle tart was just keeping warm for later. As Teddy came into the kitchen behind Harry he immediately ran over to Draco and hugged his legs. On contact his hair turned the exact shade of white-blonde that Draco was so known for. Draco just looked down in bewilderment at the child hugging his legs and then looked up to Harry in a silent plea for help. Harry just smiled at him, the sight of Teddy and Draco was tugging at his heart in the best possible way. He tried to open his mouth to say something but his throat felt dry.

Draco reached his arm round and patted Teddy awkwardly on the back and eventually Teddy let go of Draco and took a step back. He was just looking up at Draco in admiration and when Harry came to Draco’s side he got another shock to see the beautiful silvery-grey eyes that he loved looking up at him from Teddy’s face. 

“I- I think that means he likes you.” He whispered quietly into Draco’s ear. 

Draco was just staring down at Teddy, his eyes wide in shock. He seemed to be thinking about something as his face softened and he reached one hand out to gently touch the side of Teddy’s face. Teddy let him and was just happily looking between him and Harry. Harry thought he understood what was going through Draco’s head as he’d experienced it before many times.

“He looks… He looks like…” Draco started a few times but seemed unable to finish his sentence.

“Like he could be your son?” Harry suggested quietly as he slipped an arm around his waist.

Draco said nothing but he gulped and nodded slowly. 

“Yeah, I know.” Harry said softly. “I felt the same when I saw him look like me the first time. I still do to be fair and now… seeing him look like you… well, I get it.” He said not wanting to confess exactly how he felt at the sight of a beautiful mini Draco.

There was another moment of slight silence until Teddy broke it unaware of the emotions going through Harry and Draco right now.

“D-Dwaco, did you know that we’re f-family?” Teddy spoke in a quiet tentative little voice.

Draco smiled softly at Teddy and nodded again but this time with more confidence.

“Yes I did know that Teddy.” He replied gently. “Your mother was my cousin but sadly I never met her which is why it is so nice to meet you and we can be cousins now.”

“Yeah… Uncle Harry said that a b-bad man kept you and your mummy away but the bad man isn’t very well and is in ho-hoppytal now.”

“Hospital Teddy.” Harry corrected gently.

“Hos-pi-tal.” Teddy said again, concentrating hard. 

Harry moved his hand on Draco’s back and rubbed it soothingly silently giving his support and asking if he was OK. Draco looked to be taking it all in his stride though. He knelt down on the floor with one knee so he could be level with Teddy.

“That’s right.” He said softly. “Harry helped me get rid of the bad man so that me and mother could finally meet our family which is you Teddy. You and your Grandmother, we are a family.”

Teddy threw his arms around Draco then which took Draco by surprise but he returned the hug tentatively after only a moment’s hesitation. Harry tried again not to cry at the sight of Draco and Teddy aka mini Draco together. He just placed his hand on Draco’s shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze.

Teddy pulled back and Draco cleared his throat slightly and stood up. Harry thought he could see a hint of moisture in his eyes too but Draco looked away and pretended to find something over the other side of the kitchen fascinating. 

Teddy took one of Draco’s hands in his and gave it a gentle tug towards the kitchen table. “Dwaco will you come and help me do my picture? We need to have a big tree and me and you and Uncle Harry can be in the middle with Granny. Oh and your Mummy can be on it too because she is my…” Teddy stopped for a moment to concentrate again and remembered what Harry had taught him. “My great-aunt!” He proclaimed after a moment and seemed very proud of himself.

“Yes of course I’ll help you Teddy.” Draco said simply and sat down at the kitchen table next to Teddy.

Harry went over to give Draco a kiss on the cheek once he’d sat down. “Thank you, you’re amazing.” He said quietly in his ear. 

Then he summoned Teddy’s school bag and got out his pencil case with all his favourite colouring pencils. He also got a sheet of parchment and enlarged it as Teddy had told him he wanted to do a big picture with everyone on it including all the Weaselys too. Harry had told him that he could put anyone he wanted on it and that family was also the people you choose. He told him how he wasn’t really related to the Weasleys either but they were still his family. 

After that Harry cooked in the kitchen and joined in with Teddy and Draco occasionally as they talked and worked on Teddy’s picture. Teddy did all the drawing but Draco helped colour a few things in under Teddy’s instructions and also helped Teddy write everyone’s names on. Teddy was being very confident around Draco considering he didn’t know him and was happily telling him what he wanted on his family tree. He explained how he wanted his mummy, daddy and Grandpa in the sky flying in the clouds and looking down on the tree. Then he told Draco that he wanted all the Weasleys standing on the grass at the bottom of the tree. 

*~*

Harry had made lasagne a few times before and it was one of Teddy’s favourites. He wasn’t quite sure what Narcissa would make of it, no doubt she would expect something fancier but oh well. Harry did all the actual cooking but Kreacher was helping pass him things and clean up for him as he went. He asked Hopsy kindly to set the table in the dining room and told her that she could be in charge of drinks for the evening as the female house elf was desperate to do something to help. Kreacher on the other hand was happy to go feed the owls and then retire to his room for the evening once the lasagne was in the oven.

Harry had just finished the salad and popped it in the fridge to stay fresh when Teddy announced proudly that the picture was finished. Harry went straight over to have a look. His eye was immediately drawn to the small stick figure in the middle with bright blue hair holding hands with another figure with jet black hair and a woman with black frizzy hair on his other side. Next to her was a blonde haired woman representing Narcissa and Harry’s other hand was being held by a slightly taller stick figure with pale blonde hair.

There was a big flock of red headed figures of varying heights at the base of the tree with two women sticking out in the crowd, a blonde Fleur and a brunette Hermione. Harry traced his finger over the three floating figures in the sky and charmed it wandlessly so they would fly around the top of the tree. Teddy was mesmerised by that and was still staring at them when there was a knock at the door.

Suddenly he was up out of his seat and at the front door. Harry followed quickly and opened it for Dromeda to step in. 

“Hello my little Teddy.” She said fondly as Teddy gave her a hug. “Have you been having fun with Harry?”

“Yeah Uncle’s Harry’s h-house is really nice Granny and I met Dwaco. Did you know that he is our f-family too? and his mummy! And did you know that Dwaco means Dragon? He’s really nice Granny and he helped me with my p-picture, it’s all finished now. Q-quick, come and see! Harry made Mummy, Daddy and Grandpa fly!” Teddy rushed out all at once in a very excited way.

Dromeda laughed fondly and then gave Harry a kiss on the cheek in a motherly way as he always did. “Hi Harry dear, it sounds like the afternoon has gone well.” She said with a small smile. 

“Yes it has. He’s been amazing, Dromeda.” Harry explained briefly as they stood in the hallway. “He got a little quiet and reflective when I talked through the tapestry upstairs but he took it all in and he’s just so happy to have family. He really is a resilient and smart little boy, plus I think he’s quite taken with Draco.” Harry said fondly.

“Yes I can see that.” Dromeda said as she ruffled her hand through Teddy’s platinum blonde hair. She stopped for a moment as if considering something and looked back at Harry with a slightly suspicious look. “So you said you would explain why exactly my nephew and my sister happen to be staying here?” 

“Erm, well did you read about Lucius in the paper?” He asked cautiously.

“I did.” She confirmed. “I saw the picture of you and Narcissa together too and it seems like you have been helping with the case but what I want to know is why?”

“Why?” Harry asked, confused.

“Yes. How is it that you are in contact with them and why are you helping them? Other than the fact that you’re an auror and a good person I mean.” She said ignoring the fact that Teddy was tugging on her arm trying to get her to come into the kitchen.

“Erm, well come and meet Draco and we’ll explain it together. I’ll call Narcissa down too.” Harry said, feeling slightly nervous now.

When he opened the door to the kitchen again Draco was waiting nervously by the kitchen table standing stiffly with tense shoulders. Harry noticed the tension in his posture increased when Dromeda walked in and he tried to give him a reassuring smile.

“Dromeda, I’d like you to meet Draco.” He said politely. 

Draco immediately held out his hand softly palm side up. “It is a pleasure to finally meet you Aunt Andromeda. I am only sad that it has taken us this long.” He said with a formal but warm voice. Harry could only sense how nervous he was because he knew him so well but Draco was the epitome of good manners as always. 

There was a slight awkward moment as Draco waited with his hand out but then Dromeda put hers in it delicately and Draco bowed to kiss her hand ever so lightly. He really did look like a prince at that moment.

“I am sorry for that too but it is good to meet you now.” Dromeda said in a voice that sounded very much like Narcissa’s but just warmer. “May I call you Draco?” She asked as she withdrew her hand and Draco stood up straight looking slightly more relaxed. 

“Please do.” He said with a small nod and a smile.

Harry breathed out a small sigh of relief and then asked Hopsy if she wouldn’t mind letting Narcissa know that Dromeda had arrived. He noticed Dromeda tense up ever so slightly at the mention of her sister’s name and she looked slightly more nervous now. She distracted herself by looking at Teddy’s picture as he was already telling her all about it.

“It’s wonderful Teddy.” She said affectionately, her hand on his shoulder. “Did you thank Draco for helping you with your homework?”

“He did.” Draco said stepping forward. “Teddy has been very polite.”

“Good. He usually is.” Dromeda replied.

“I- I- am sorry for your… losses during the war.” Draco said cautiously. “But I think you have done a marvellous job in raising Teddy. He seems like a lovely child.” 

“Thank you.” She said simply with a smile. “I am sure you have faced your...  _ challenges _ in life too and I am sorry for what you have endured.”

Draco gave her a grateful smile but didn’t have time to respond as the kitchen door opened once again and in walked Narcissa.

For what seemed like an eternity the two sisters just stared at each other expressionless. Everyone else was silent, even Teddy. He seemed to sense that this was a big moment and there was a thick cloud of tension in the air. Harry opened his mouth to introduce them but couldn’t seem to find the words. Introducing Draco had been fine as they had never actually met but how are you supposed to introduce two long lost sisters? Instead Harry just stood there open mouthed like a fool and waited for something to happen.

They were both looking at each other and slowly different emotions started creeping through their faces. Dromeda was the first to make a move as she took a hesitant step towards Narcissa and slowly stretched out one hand as if she wanted to touch Narcissa’s face to see if she was real. She stopped herself short, her hand just lingering in the air.

“Cissy?” She whispered, her voice thick with emotion.

Narcissa was blinking rapidly. Her body language was stiff and her shoulders tense but her face seemed to be telling a different story. It was soft as she repeated the name to herself.

“Cissy… No one else has ever called me that.” She said quietly looking down at the floor. Then slowly she raised her head again. 

“Andi.” She breathed out as a simple statement and then slowly smiled. It wasn’t the slight raised corner lip that Harry had seen but a more genuine softer smile.

Dromeda’s whole body relaxed and she chuckled slightly to herself. “Andi.” She repeated. “No one has called me that since Ted…” She trailed off.

“Oh Andi I’m sorry…” Narcissa started in a voice that Harry hardly recognised.

Then all of a sudden the two women were hugging and there was a tear rolling down each of their cheeks. Harry wasn’t quite sure what to do but then oddly enough he felt both his hands being taken from either side at the same time. His left hand now had Teddy’s little one nestled in it and Draco was giving his right one a gentle squeeze.

“Why don’t we go to the drawing room for a drink whilst dinner is cooking?” Harry suggested and everyone nodded in agreement.

“Oh Granny, I know where that is. It’s the r-room with the big family t-tree and you’re on it. Come on, I show you.” Teddy said excitedly, dropping Harry’s hand to take Dromeda’s as he led her up the stairs.

Draco also dropped his hand as he stopped forward to see his Mother. Harry heard him ask her softly if she was OK so he walked on ahead to give them a moment. Hopsy followed them into the drawing room and excitedly went to take everyone’s drinks orders saying she would fetch them anything they wanted. Draco however extravagantly suggested that the occasion called for the “finest champagne” and asked Hopsy to fetch Teddy a fizzy apple juice but serve it in an unbreakable champagne glass like the others so he wouldn’t feel left out which Harry thought was very sweet.

Teddy was showing Dromeda the tapestry whilst Draco and his mother sat next to each other on one of the sofas. Harry noticed that they were sitting closer than he’d previously seen them and wondered if their relationship had improved over the time they’d had together. Narcissa certainly seemed to be softening and relaxing more and more each time Harry saw her. When Hopsy arrived back with the drinks Teddy and Dromeda seated themselves on the other sofa opposite whilst Harry floated around near Draco still standing.

Once Draco had his drink he stood up to and raised his glass. “To new found family.” He said eloquently and everyone drank to the toast. 

Draco looked at Harry for a moment still standing and they nodded ever so slightly to one another in silent communication for a moment. Then Draco took his seat and Harry cleared his throat slightly as he placed one hand on Draco’s shoulder.

“Dromeda, you asked me to clarify exactly what Draco was doing here… well this is his home now too.” Harry started. “We became reacquainted about six weeks ago and soon became friends. When Draco needed somewhere to stay where Lucius couldn’t find him this seemed like the best choice and the more time we spent together, the closer we became.” 

Harry paused for a moment to look at Draco who was smiling fondly back up at him. He perched on the arm of the sofa putting his arm around Draco properly and was about to address Dromeda once more when Teddy got there first.

“Dwaco is Harry’s boyfriend Granny! I saw them kiss!” He said loudly.

To Harry’s surprise Narcissa laughed. He wasn’t sure if he’d ever heard her laugh and even Draco seemed surprised by it. 

Dromeda smiled at Teddy and then looked over at Harry and Draco with a raised eyebrow. “Thank you Teddy but I think I had just worked that out for myself.”

Harry and Draco waited for some kind of reaction as Dromeda looked at them with a curious smile. Then she turned to her sister.

“What do you make of this unusual pairing then Cissy?” She asked with amusement.

“Well to be honest Andi I don’t find it that unusual.” Narcissa replied casually. “I didn’t realise it at the time but looking back I think I have been blind to a lot of things and my son’s… interest in Harry all those years ago seems much clearer to me now.”

Harry was taken back by that and watched in amusement as Draco’s pewter eyes grew wide in surprise and embarrassment. 

“Well I am very happy for you both and I look forward to getting to know you more Draco. You must come and visit me for tea sometime.” Dromeda said in a firm but friendly way. They knew that it wasn’t a request.

“I would like that very much Aunt, thank you.” Draco said with a smile. 

Harry gave Draco’s shoulder a squeeze and then he leaned over to give him a kiss on the cheek. “Told you it would be fine.” He whispered quickly in his ear before he stood up. Then he addressed the rest of the room. “Well I’m going to check on the dinner now I can trust you will all get along well without me. Teddy why don’t you come too? You can be my helper.” He said tactfully.

Teddy was only too happy to help and Harry thought it might be nice for the other three to have a few moments alone. Teddy was really happy to be given the job of carrying the salad bowl to the dining room table and walked with it so carefully. After that he ran back to put the salt and pepper on the table followed by the basket of garlic bread. Harry carried the lasagne and was pleased with the little simple but delicious looking spread on the table. 

After charming the bread and the pasta dish to stay warm, he asked Teddy to fetch the others. They all took their seats and Hopsy got everyone wine, apart from Teddy of course. Harry served up and after they all enjoyed a pleasant dinner. Conversation was surprisingly easy as Dromeda asked Draco about his potions shop and seemed very impressed with it. Narcissa even offered to take her to see it one day next week which she seemed excited about and said that she would definitely become a regular customer of Draco’s. 

Conversation was also easier with Teddy as he filled any potentially awkward silences with stories from school.Everyone seemed to enjoy Harry’s lasagne but the highlight of the evening was definitely Draco’s treacle tart. It was even better than the first one he made which Harry happily told him and Narcissa seemed to be impressed that he had made it. 

Teddy loved it of course and told everyone at the dinner table that Draco was his new favourite person and he said he wasn’t changing his hair colour “ever ever again.” Harry and Dromeda laughed as they had heard that before and Draco happily ruffled Teddy’s platinum blonde hair saying it suited him. After dessert though it was obvious that Teddy was becoming tired. It had been a long day for him. Dromeda was getting ready to leave when Teddy insisted that Harry needed to put him to bed like he did every Wednesday.

Harry quickly said he didn’t mind as actually putting Teddy to bed was one of the highlights of his week. Plus he had promised Teddy a dragon story. Harry suggested that he take Teddy back to his house and put him to bed whilst Dromeda and Narcissa have some time just the two of them. He said the Hopsy would look after them and they could have any nightcap they liked from the bar. Harry told them to take their time as he would happily babysit for Teddy until Dromeda returned home.

Draco started saying goodbye to Teddy but Teddy then insisted that he wanted both Harry and Draco to put him to bed remembering that Draco hadn’t heard the dragon story either. Dromeda and Drcao both seemed happy with that so Harry and Draco took Teddy home leaving the two sisters alone together for the first time in decades.

It was odd having Draco there as he bathed Teddy and helped him get ready for bed but it was nice too. Harry always liked having Draco around and he was so happy that Teddy had taken to him so well. Despite Draco’s earlier reservations he seemed just fine interacting with Teddy too and it warmed Harry’s heart.

As Teddy settled into bed Harry sat on one side of him and Draco sat on the other. Both of them listened in awe as Harry told the story of the Gringotts dragon. Mostly, he kept it simple but a couple of times he would look at Draco and fill in a couple of the blanks that Teddy wouldn’t quite understand such as it being Bellatrix’s vault. Harry knew there were a couple of other things he’d have to say to Drcao when they got to that part of the book but for now it was just fun to see both of their faces as he described riding on the dragon’s back over the British countryside.

It was at that part where Teddy fell asleep and Harry leaned over to give him a kiss on the forehead as he always did. He looked up to find Draco looked at him fondly with a soft glazed expression.

“You’re really great with him you know.” He whispered so he wouldn’t wake Teddy.

“Thanks, I try.” Harry said quietly back. “You were amazing with him too today. Really, you were.” Harry said reaching across the bed to take Draco’s hand. “I knew he would love you.”

“He’s an easy kid to be with I guess.” Draco shrugged as if it was no big deal. 

He looked back at the now sleeping Teddy and Harry watched the expression on his face. Draco was looking at Teddy with love, there was no doubt about it. Seeing that look was like another piece of their puzzle slotting into place for Harry. 

Slowly but surely their life was coming together and it just fitted perfectly. Harry would have really struggled if Draco and Teddy didn’t get on but knowing know that they did just made it ten times easier to love Draco. His heart was bursting to tell him but he had already decided to tell him Saturday on their date so he kept it back for now. IfDraco accepted it and said he loved him back then maybe then the puzzle would be complete.

“Harry.” Draco said quietly as they sat there for a moment and watched Teddy sleep.

“Yes my prince?” Harry prompted.

Draco looked at him with those beautiful grey eyes unable to stop the tear that fell from one of them and rolled down his porcelain cheek. “Thank you for giving me a family.” He whispered softly into the night time air.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know what you think as always.  
> Reading your comments make me so happy! <3
> 
> This week has been busy for me and my schedule it all over the place now. No Friday update this week sorry but I'll get the nect chapter out at some point over the weekend I promise. This story is still very much a priority for me!


	32. Draco: Thursday 27th October

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A nice normal day for once in the life of Draco (and Harry!)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Today's chapter is dedicated to AlluraBelle -thank you for all your little comments!
> 
> So this chapter is really short, sorry! Not because of time commitments or anything, I'd always rather post a day later than rush a chapter but this is just the way it worked out. I try not to think too much about how long a chapter is and just end it when it feels natural. Mostly this is because I've mapped out the days for what I want to happen when and I'd like most of Friday to be from Harry's perspective.  
> The next chapter might be shorter too as they just fill less time in the boys life but then we'll probably have some long ones coming up!!
> 
> It is a little bit of a 'filler chapter' not going to lie but it still sets up some things for later and has some developments.  
> I'm missing the twins! :( George is in this one but I can't wait to have them both in it again!  
> Also kind of miss Daphne too so we get a glimpse of her here!  
> Blaise time will come in the next Draco chapter! ;)

“You are in Astoria’s bad books which is not somewhere you want to be.” Daphne said straight away when she came into the shop on Thursday morning. “Mother is not particularly happy with you either.” She added giving Draco a kiss of the cheek as always.

Draco groaned at her greeting. “Your mother has never liked me so that’s nothing new but what is it that I’ve done this time to annoy your sister?”

“You never sent back the R.S.V.P to the wedding and they’re trying to calculate final numbers today.” She said simply as she copied today’s appointment page in the diary to give to Draco who currently looked like Pierre.

“I definitely did send it back.” Draco replied indignantly. “I gave it to you to pass it on weeks ago.”

“Yes, well that one said you weren’t coming so I vanished it.” She waved dismissively as if that was a perfectly normal thing to do.

“Why did you do that?” He asked dramatically. “It's hardly my fault if you failed to give them my R.S.V.P. You’ll have to explain to them that you lost it or something and pass on my apologises.”

“Oh no need.” Daphne said in her usual chipper tone. “I told them that you’ve been so busy with the business that you must have forgotten to reply properly. They were a bit annoyed about that but you’re off the hook now as I told them you were bringing Harry Potter as your plus one. Tori practically fainted at that and now you’re her favourite person so you’re welcome.”

“Daphne!” Draco exclaimed with wide eyes. “Why would you tell them that? What are you playing at? You know I can’t bring Harry.”

“I know nothing of the sort.” She snapped back quickly. “Lucius is taken care of, you’re a free man. The shop is closed and you can afford to take a day off. Graham will be helping Verity across the road so that Fred and George can both be there so you can’t even rope him in. Harry won’t be working so I really don’t understand why you both can’t make it.”

“You know very well that the reason isn’t work related.” Draco said back mildly irritated. “I still don’t really feel comfortable out in public even without Harry. We haven’t told people that we’re together yet, it’s all very new. We can’t just turn up at the wedding arm in arm in front of half the wizarding population. Plus you said the press have been invited for some unknown reason.”

“Yes Tori is determined that her wedding will get a feature in Witch Weekly though she doesn’t seem to realise that she’s not actually famous.” Daphne said, rolling her eyes. “She keeps going on about the fact that she’s marrying a war hero just because Ernest waved his wand about a bit in the final battle.”

Draco wanted to say that at least he had been on the right side of the battle but he fought back the urge. Daphne probably wouldn’t have given him the chance anyway given that she was still talking.

“-you don’t have to be ‘arm in arm’ anyway if you really don’t want to be. Just come as friends if you insist on hiding your relationship but you’d better both be there or else.” She finished in a mildly threatening manner.

“I don’t see why it matters. If it was your wedding then it would be different, of course I would be there for you but you don’t need me on Monday. You’ll have George and Blaise.” Draco argued. “I just really don’t know how I feel about being in such a large public gathering again. It’s been years...” He trailed off slowly.

“Yes exactly, it’s been  _ years _ .” Daphne said insistently. “No one cares about what you did or didn’t do in the war anymore. You’re father was the Death Eater and he’s basically been arrested now anyway. Everyone knows what a bastard he is and you need to just move on and live your life. You can’t keep hiding, I won’t let you. Besides isn’t it enough for me to say that I really want you there. You’re my best friend Draco please, I need you. It’s not all about you, you know.”

Suddenly Daphne’s voice was cracking slightly and she looked like she was about to cry. Draco had never seen her cry before and wasn’t quite sure what prompted this reaction or what he should do about it. She seemed mortified by her own rection and quickly cleared her throat and wiped her eyes.

“You’re both coming. End of discussion.” She said in a fierce tone. “Oh and your Mother will be there too apparently.” She added casually and then quickly went to open up the shop leaving Draco standing there in mild shock at everything that had just happened.

Daphne had always been a strong character but Draco wasn’t quite sure he’d witnessed her have so many different mood swings in the space of five minutes. He still felt uneasy about being around so many people but he had never been able to argue with Daphne. She had a way of getting exactly what she wanted. There was also the fact that for some reason it did seem to genuinely mean something to her that he was there. He wouldn’t have thought it mattered given it was only her sister’s wedding but maybe he was wrong.

Well it looked like he was going to attend a social function with a couple of hundred other people including journalists who would know who he was and who would definitely know who his ‘plus one’ was. That would be fun…

Putting it out of his mind Draco focused on his work for the day. He sat at his desk and looked at his appointments list for the. It was the quietest day he’s had so far but he wasn’t worried. He expected there to be a bit of a lull as they neared Halloween but knew it would soon get busy again for bespoke Christmas gifts in November and December. Also, he was pleased to see that Daphne had managed to squeeze all three of his appointments into the morning which gave him a free afternoon to make products. 

His first appointment was a repeat customer which made him happy. It was always nice when they came back it obviously meant he was doing something right. It was an eldery witch who was clearly quite wealthy and seemed to have lots of friends so it would do to keep her happy. This time she wanted four more gift baskets, all different. It was quite a big order but fortunately she’d given him plenty of time to get them done.

The second appointment of the day was something very different and it had actually been slightly emotional. At one point he had to summon a handkerchief for his customer. She was a mother whose son had recently been bitten by a werewolf and she wanted wolfsbane potion brewed for him. It wasn’t something he’d ever brewed before but he had no doubt he could do it and his heart went out to the family. 

The ingredients for wolfsbane potion were expensive but he just couldn’t bring himself to charge this mother. Especially if his former fortune was about to be restored to him. Now he was lucky enough to be running his business because it was what he loved and what he could be proud of, not because he needed money. She cried even more when Draco refused her money and it made him feel good that he could use his skills and his wealth to help someone else. It was a first for him really. 

He made a mental note to speak to Blaise about any charities or good causes that he knew of that might need funding. Maybe he would speak to Harry too. Harry had never spoken about them but Blaise had hinted that Harry had been very charitable with his money other the years so maybe they could invest in a worthwhile cause together. 

The third appointment of the day was interesting too. It was none other than Ginevra Weasley. He was prepared for it as he’d seen her name in the dairy that morning but it was still strange to have her sitting in front of him. She was very complimentary about the products that ‘Pierre’ had made for Hermione. She also said that she had ‘a friend’ who used an aftershave from this shop and he smelt really good. She was discrete but Draco knew she was talking about Harry and she had to stop himself from smiling when he remembered how Harry smelt. He absolutely loved Harry’s sandalwood scent and it was even better knowing he was the one who made it.

He found speaking to Miss Weasley to be a fun, relaxing experience. She was confident and funny. She had matured a lot since Draco knew her and he couldn’t help notice how attractive she was. Of course she had no idea who she was speaking to, which was quite amusing. Hopefully she would be this nice to him when his relationship with Harry was revealed but Draco wasn’t confident. He still remembered being on the receiving end of her bat-bogey hex and it was not an experience he wished to repeat.

It turned out she wanted a bespoke aftershave made for her boyfriend. She didn’t say his name but of course Draco knew it was Oliver Wood. According to Daphne who knew all the gossip, the quidditch stars had so far managed to keep their new relationship under wraps as no one was particularly bothered by their private lives during the off season. However, he was sure that once the league started up again in the new year they would be front page news. He knew quite a lot about the Weasley clan by now. It seemed like he would be surrounded by them on Sunday which he wasn’t entirely ready for. No matter what he told Harry he was still really unsure about it. 

He thought he’d have to see them all eventually but he was hoping to put it off for as long as possible. That plan had gone out the window though when Harry had looked at him with those beautiful eyes that he could never refuse. Draco was always strong willed and stubborn... until Harry asked him to do something. He felt like he would never deny Harry anything. How could he when Harry had done so much for him and all he wanted to do was make Harry happy? If facing his own insecurities and casually hanging out with a family that hated him would make Harry happy then he would do it. He just hoped for Harry’s sake that the Weasleys accepted him. If they didn't then he wasn’t sure what Harry would do but he couldn’t be the one who separated Harry from his family.

At lunchtime he reached into his bag to find a little note from Harry that made him smile and a really good looking cheese and ham toastie which was keeping perfectly warm and fresh under charms. He was just about to enjoy it in peace when he heard a knock at the back door. He wasn’t expecting Blaise but he couldn’t think who else it could be. When he opened it though it was George who was standing there. 

“Oh hello.” He said simply, surprised but not unhappy to see him.

George looked at him for a moment and then smiled. “Hey man, sorry I forgot what you looked like as Pierre been a while.” 

“Yes I suppose it has. I don’t actually have any appointments this afternoon so I could change back really. You coming in?” He asked casually, still holding the door open.

“I was hoping to catch Daph on her lunch break. Is she around?” George said peering behind Draco into the back of the shop.

“No sorry. She’s been going home on her lunch break every day this week I’m afraid.” Draco replied hovering in the doorway slightly still not really sure if George was coming in or not.

“Oh.” George replied flatly. Then he sighed, he seemed a bit disappointed and maybe a bit worried. He seemed to be making his mind up about what to do now.

“You’re welcome to come in anyway though and keep me company over lunch.” He said without really thinking about it. His instinctive polite manners spoke for him but he hoped he wasn’t about to be needed for any sort of relationship advice.

“Er, yeah, alright then! That could be fun.” George said. His enthusiasm took Draco by surprise a bit as he confidently stepped into the hallway and found his own way to Draco’s office. 

George sat down happily at the desk and started eyeing up Draco’s toastie. “Did Harry make that?”

Draco nodded as he sat down. “Yes I believe so.”

“Aww how cute. Does he always make your lunch for you?” George said grinning.

Draco blushed slightly. “Yes he does usually to be honest.”

“Of course he does, he’s such a sweetie. I bet there was a romantic note in the box too wasn’t there?” George suggested with a wink.

Draco didn’t answer as somehow he wasn’t as good at lying as he used to be but he definitely didn’t want to admit that there was.

“There was wasn’t there?!” George accused with an even bigger grin. “Merlin, you two will be married before you know it.”

Draco’s eyes went wide and his mouth hung open slightly like an idiot. He cursed himself again for not maintaining his old emotionless mask, Harry had ruined him. George didn’t seem to have noticed his reaction anyway though as he was too busy duplicating the toastie and then biting into the new one that he’s magically created.

“Damn you're lucky. The best thing about Fred and Harry being together was the food I got, I miss Harry’s cooking.” He said with his mouth half full.

Well that was just great, Draco always loved being reminded of the fact that Fred and Harry had been together.

George seemed to sense that he’d said the wrong thing and spoke again at the same time as taking another bite. His eating habits were enough to put Draco off his own toastie. 

“Sorry, probably shouldn’t mention that huh?” George said with a bit of a guilty look. “But you should know that Harry would have never given Fred a little romantic note. There was always part of him that would have wanted to because he’s just that kind of guy but romance was never a part of their deal. I believe you’re the only person alive with a cute little note from the one and only Harry Potter in your lunch box so no need to get all jealous.” 

Draco smiled a little bit at that, he had to admit that it was nice being reminded of the fact that he was the target of Harry’s affections in such a way. He was the only one who had ever been in a committed relationship with Harry. He just hoped it would stay that way. He wanted to be the first and only boyfriend Harry would have, not the first of many. Maybe, just maybe even his husband someday… but not anytime soon.

He still hadn’t really said anything, George had done most of the talking so far but that suited Draco as he finally started to eat his lunch. George was way ahead of him though and was nearly finished his. He then started looking around slightly awkwardly and Draco got the sense there was something on his mind. He still wasn’t particularly keen on being the one George unburdened himself on to but then he was here so he would try and do his best. He supposed this is what friends did for each other even though the concept of being friends with George was still a bit strange.

“What’s wrong?” He asked tentatively, already regretting it.

George twitched slightly and tried to sound casual but he failed. “I was just wondering how Daphne has been this week… you know, erm, is she OK?”

Draco frowned, surely George would know this didn’t they usually speak every day? “Well I’ve only seen her twice. Tuesday she was pretty quiet I’ll admit. Today she has been a bit snappier than usual I suppose but you know she’s not really looking forward to this wedding. Her family can be quite overbearing at times and Astoria had been a bit of a nightmare bride. She’s just a bit stressed but she’ll be fine.”

“Yeah.” George said slowly as if unconvinced. “She did tell me that she was really busy this week helping out with final preparations and all so I knew I wouldn’t be seeing her as much but still… I thought I’d see her at least once or just talk to her. I dunno mate, it’s just well… what if she’s avoiding me or something?”

“Does she have a reason to avoid you?” Draco asked a bit perplexed.

“Well no I don’t think so.” George replied quickly. “But then what if I’ve done something to annoy her that I don’t know about?”

“In my experience if Daphne’s annoyed with someone then she definitely lets them know about it.” Draco said back honestly not really knowing if he was being helpful or not. Judging by the look on George’s face, he wasn’t. 

“Look, relationship advice is not really my forté, especially when it comes to women.” He said humorously, although he wasn’t really joking. “Blaise would be a much better person to talk to about this, you know, if you need… whatever.” He finished slightly awkwardly.

“That might be true.” George said with a small chuckle. “I don’t really know Blaise though... I know you. Anyway, forget about it. I'm sure it will be fine, just pre-wedding stress like you said. I mean I remember how my mum was before Bill and Fleur’s wedding and then Hermione and Ron’s too. It was a nightmare and I avoided all the pre-wedding drama. It will all be back to normal next week.” George said, trying to convince himself more than anything.

“I’m sure it will.” Draco said because it seemed like the right thing.

George was quiet for a moment and then just shrugged and seemed to relax a bit more. Draco thought it was safe to move on to something else as he didn’t really know what else to say about Daphne anyway. 

“So apparently I’m coming to your Mother’s birthday lunch on Sunday.” He said after the last mouthful of his lunch.

George raised his eyebrows and smiled. “No shit? Wow. How did Harry manage to persuade you of that? I haven’t even asked Daphne yet!”

“Apparently I can’t say no to him.” Draco scoffed.

“Nah surely not. You’re that under the thumb?” George teased. “And there’s me thinking that you were the boss of the relationship.”

“Yes well, let’s maintain that illusion shall we?” Draco said with a smirk.

“I won’t tell a soul.” George replied with a wink.

Draco gave him a knowing look. “Apart from Fred.”

“Apart from Fred.” George agreed with a nod.

“So is Harry going to break the news to people first or are you just going to rock up?” George asked seriously.

“He’s going to tell Ron and Hermione tomorrow. Then I believe he plans on writing a brief note on Sunday morning to the rest before we arrive so it won’t be a massive shock but they won’t have too long to overthink it or something.” Draco explained.

“Seems wise.” George said simply. “Me and Freddie will get there early and put in a good word for you before you arrive.”

“Thank you.” Draco said sincerely. 

“They might not like it when they first hear it but as soon as they see you guys together they will understand.” George said in an attempt to reassure him. “Just show them all how much you like Harry and that’s all they will care about. Trust me, it will be fine.”

Draco said nothing but he nodded slowly and tried to let George’s confidence put his mind at ease. After that George left him to it. When Daphne got back Draco told her that George had stopped by but she just dismissed it saying she’d floo call him “at some point”. He wondered for a moment if everything was OK between them but figured if Daphne needed someone to talk to then she knew he was there. Most likely she would probably turn to Blaise first and that was fine by him.

He made the most of his free afternoon checking Graham’s work from the day before in the cellar and leaving him instructions for the next day. He also used the time to get a head start on his new orders. The rest of his orders were sat at home waiting to be wrapped up and sent off tomorrow. The process would be made easier now he had his own beautiful owl back. He had been thinking about Aquila as she was the only thing he had left at the Manor that he wanted. He should have known she would be clever enough to come and find him now that Mother’s owl had left the owlery too though. 

At five o'clock precisely he went home smiling to himself as he smelt the familiar scent of chamomile drifting through from the kitchen as he took his outer robes off and hung them on the coat rack in the hallway. Then his smile grew as Harry came out of the lounge to greet him. It was nice to be home.

*~*

He ended up drinking his tea in the lounge with Harry. In reality it had only been a couple of days but it felt like a lot more time had passed since the two of them relaxed on the sofa together. Today just felt like a nice normal day for once and he’d sort of missed it.

“I ended up hand delivering the chapters to Luna in the end.” Harry explained as they caught up on their day apart. “She said she was free so I went in to see her. She said she’d read them then and let us know her thoughts next week.”

“Us?” Draco questioned. “Did you tell her that we’re a couple?”

“Er, well no, technically I didn't, she just seemed to know.” Harry said casually.

Draco placed his cup back on the coffee table and turned towards Harry quickly. “How could she know? It isn’t public knowledge yet. Who told her?”

“Relax it’s fine. No one told her, she just knew.” Harry said doing a poor job of clarifying matters. When Draco continued to frown at him he simply shrugged again. “Luna just has a way of knowing these things, I dunno how to explain it; she's just really insightful. But she was very happy about it, and said she could see how we would work well together.”

“Oh I see.” Draco said, still slightly confused but then Lovegood had always been a bit unusual. 

He didn’t really know why he was worried about her knowing, it’s not like they were keeping it a secret anymore. He was just still apprehensive about it all. Part of him wanted to continue to hide away in his protective little bubble with Harry. They were happy here just the two of them, they could continue to be happy, bringing other people into the mix might disrupt everything. Then there was the whole other matter of the general public and press to consider. Everytime Draco thought about it he felt a bit ill which was stupid, he’d known what he was getting into pursuing Harry and it had definitely been worth it. It would be worth anything else they had to endure.

“I had lunch with your Mother afterwards, out I mean.” Harry carried on. “She didn’t really give me a choice, she just whisked me off to this fancy Italian restaurant. I tried to say no but turns out I’m not very good at saying no to your Mother and there was definitely another photo taken of us together so yeah… that happened.” Harry said, sighing.

Draco groaned. “I’m really sorry. I didn’t know she was planning that.” He said honestly.

“Yeah well, not much to be done about it I suppose. She did handle the journalist from Teddy’s school yesterday so I am grateful to her for that. She’s a useful ally to have and if the occasional lunch out with her helps keep her happy then I guess it’s worth it.” Harry said with a bit of a smile.

“Still, you can try and say no to her Harry.” Draco pointed out seriously.

“Yeah I know.” Harry said casually. “But it wasn’t actually that bad and I think… well I think she’s trying to help soften the blow with the media for when we- when we eventually do start... I dunno, going out as a couple or something.” Harry mumbled the last bit.

“Ah, yes. That sounds like something she would do.” Draco agreed. “Plus I think that she is hoping to raise her own social standing a bit too. Not that she’s using you or anything but it just has a couple of advantages for her as well as us I suppose.”

Harry was looking at him slightly curiously. “I thought you’d be more concerned about the idea of the press finding out about us.”

Draco thought about this for a moment trying to find the right way to phrase it. “I am concerned.” He started slowly. “I wasn’t joking when I said you being famous was a strike against you. The trouble is it was the only one and there are far too many reasons to date you than there are not to.” He said with a bit of a smile. 

Harry smiled too slightly and gently rested his hand on Draco’s thigh but he didn’t say anything. He seemed to sense that Draco had more to say.

“I really did think everything through before I decided that I wanted a relationship with you so I knew that we would have to face the press at some point, but I hoped it would be once we’d really established a strong foundation and become serious. I’m not saying this isn't serious, you know that it is for me.” He added quickly. “It’s just that we still have so much more to learn about each other, so much to do, so much to talk about. I mean, you said it the other day, we haven’t even been on an official date yet and we still need to connect on a more… physical level too, not to mention all the aspects of the war that we haven’t talked about. I’d like all your friends and family to be comfortable with it first as well.”

He was worried he’d messed this up somehow but fortunately Harry was nodding. “Yes, I do know what you mean.”

“Good.” Draco said, feeling a bit relieved. “I’m not saying I expect any of those things to be a problem. I just think we still have a few milestones left to reach in our relationship and I want to face them all first before anything gets out too publicly.” 

“Yeah same to be honest. It’s fine.” Harry agreed, squeezing Draco’s thing slightly before moving his hand to find Draco's and intertwining their fingers. 

“I’m glad we’re on the same page then.” Draco said happily, enjoying the feeling of Harry’s hand in his. “It was something I was worrying about this afternoon as apparently we’re both going to Astoria’s wedding. Daphne isn’t taking no for an answer.”

“Oh.” Harry said in surprise. “I kept meaning to ask you if you were going as I know you weren’t crazy about the idea but I thought Daphne would convince you. I didn’t know I was actually invited though. I know Daphne said ages ago about me being your plus one but you never actually asked me so I figured you didn’t want me there. Totally fine either way though of course.” 

“It’s not that I don’t want you there. I just never asked you as I wasn’t planning on going myself.” Draco stated honestly. “I didn’t think my presence would be missed but it seems like quite a big deal to Daphne that I’m there.”

“Well of course she would want you there, you’re her best friend.” Harry said smiling. “I think you should go and try to enjoy yourself. I’ll make my excuses though of course, given what we just said about the public. I’m sure it will be fine.”

“I’m afraid you have to be there. She’s quite insistent and her mother and sister are over the moon that you’re going.” Draco said, rolling his eyes.

“Ah I see.” Harry said with faint amusement. “I guess neither of us are any good at saying no to the strong women in our lives. Didn’t you say there might be paparazzi there though?”

“Yes potentially.” Draco said slightly hesitantly thinking of his next suggestion. “I was wondering what you thought about going as friends? Or pretending to go as friends I suppose. That would be the official line. It would be nice to have you there, I am nervous about going and having you by my side always gives me strength. Just no public displays of affection or anything.”

Harry laughed slightly. “Right got it. If you want me there then of course I will come. It will be hard to keep my hands off you but I’m sure I can behave.”

“You’d better.” Draco warned earning another laugh from Harry.

He turned towards Harry probably and looked a bit more serious. “There is definitely a large part of me that wants to show the world that you are mine Harry James Potter and I can’t wait for that day. I’m just still quite insecure about my public image. I’ve not been to a social function this large since the war. Before people knew my family name and it used to be admired and respected, now it’s not. It will be nice to step out again on Monday as Draco Black. I’m ready for that, I just want to see how the world reacts to me just being me first rather than being your boyfriend. Does that make sense?”

“It makes perfect sense.” Harry said leaning forward to give him a kiss.

Draco allowed himself to enjoy the kiss for a moment before he pulled back. “So you said you own dress robes right?” He said seriously.

“Of course I do.” Harry said quickly. “They were a requirement for various Ministry parties and fundraisers or whatever. I still get invites all the time but I only go to the ones I have to really.”

“Right well I’m going to need to see all the options you have. We need to think carefully about our outfits, it’s very important.” Draco insisted, already thinking about options in his head. “We can’t look like a couple at all but it would still be nice to subliminally tell the world that we look good together. It’s a difficult balance, maybe we can play with blues and greens…” He trailed off into his thoughts and imagination. 

*~*

Dinner had been a pretty normal affair with the three of them actually getting on rather well now. Although they’d ended up breaking their ‘no alcohol during the week’ rule again as his mother said she had a special announcement to make. It turned out that if you’re pushy enough with the right connections and the right money you can make your divorce happen in three days. His mother was now officially separated from Lucius and was legally Narcissa Black. She owned the Manor and the lands outright now and Draco owned the Chateau in France. All the vaults were sorted as well, with Draco getting back access to the main family vault as well as his own private one and his mother finally getting a vault of her own that used to be Lucius’ private one. Lucius had nothing and no say in anything either. They were completely free of him.

She also told them that whilst the work was being done on the grounds of Wiltshire to build her new home she would be living with Aunt Andromeda and Teddy. That was a surprise given they’d only reconnected yesterday but it seemed to go very well indeed. Mother said she didn’t want to overstay her welcome at their house and that she was looking forward to having some proper time getting to know her sister again. 

Draco was really pleased for her. He found that he quite liked his Aunt, she seemed nice anyway and it would be good for his mother to have her back in her life again. He was also quite thankful she would be moving out of Grimmauld Place tomorrow and taking Hopsy with her. He was really pleased they had a chance of a proper relationship as mother and son now but he was still not used to being around her as much as he had been these last few days. Besides, he liked it when it was just him and Harry here and was looking forward to getting back to that. As diplomatic about it as Harry was over dinner, Draco could tell that he was relieved too.

After dinner Draco was true to his word and went to his study for a few hours to be alone. He wanted to write the chapters he’d spoken to Harry about. He wanted the world to know getting the mark wasn’t his choice.

He wrote about what had happened the minute he got back to the Manor after fifth year. That was the night he’d met the Dark lord for the very first time. He thinks he may have been in the Manor before then, there had been the odd secret meeting where Draco had just gone to his suite upstairs but that was when Lucius was still running the Manor. After his arrest though, his mother had picked him up from King Cross station alone and when they’d returned home it had been clear straight away that another master was in charge. There was just something in the atmosphere and not in a good way.

He remembered how nervous his mother had seemed, how he knew there was something wrong but he just thought it was about the arrest. Then Bellatrix greeted them as they stepped through the front door and had been going on about how special tonight was and how he should be proud. Then worst of all he remembered Him-  _ Riddle _ . It had been in the drawing room. A dozen masked figures stood in a semi circle around the outside and he had been escorted in by Bellatrix on one side and his mother on the other side, both of them gripping his arms tightly. There had been a high backed chair facing the fireplace. A cold voice had spoken in a high shrill tone that sent shivers down his back. He talked about how fortunate it was that Lucius had a pure blood son who could make up for his mistakes. How it would be Draco’s turn to step up and become the Malfoy heir he was born to be. He said Draco should feel blessed at being his youngest ever follower and was begging gifted this opportunity to prove himself.

It was then that Draco had suddenly realised what was going to happen but even if he hadn’t been paralysed with fear there was nothing he could have done anyway. He didn’t describe what he saw when the robed figure rose out of the chair and came to stand in front of him. Nor did he describe the pain he felt when the tip of the wand touched his left forearm that his Aunt had held out for her master. He didn’t need to go into those sorts of details in the book but it didn’t stop him from remembering them now. It was hard to remember it when he’d spent so long blocking it out. As he wrote it more and more of the details came flooding back to him of that night and he had to stop and do some breathing exercises a couple of times just to get through it. 

After that he needed a bath. He hadn’t actually had one in a few days, preferring now to take showers with Harry in their en-suite but he needed some time alone in the bath to relax. He hadn’t had any nightmares at all since sharing a bed with Harry but he just wanted to make sure he kept them at bay tonight as well.

It was about ten o’clock when he finally finished and felt calm enough to find Harry. He was already in their bedroom having taken some of his own notes to bed with him to read through. Draco gave Harry the chapter as he brushed his teeth and got ready for bed and then he crawled in under the duvet to curl up next to him just as he was finished. When Harry was done he slowly put the pages on his bedside table and just wrapped his arms around Draco holding him tight. Neither of them said anything for a while, there was nothing to say really, or so Draco thought.

Then finally Harry just whispered softly and melodically to him like he was reading a poem. 

“I’m so sorry you had to go through that. If I could go back now and change it all for you I would. I’d protect you from all of it. But we can’t go back, it’s done now. Even if we could, messing with time can change the outcome of things and where we are today, here right now, that’s a good outcome. I know it’s not been easy to get here but I wouldn’t change a thing about us now. Everything you’ve been through has made you who you are, and I really like who you are now. Everything in our lives has led us to this point and brought us together. We both have marks, we both have scars. Neither of us are perfect but we can still be perfect together. So this-”

Harry raised his left arm and placed gentle kisses over the mark.

“-this is just a part of you that shows me how strong you are and what you’ve overcome to get here. I wish you’d never had it, of course I do but never think that I’m repulsed by it, because I’m not.”

Draco didn’t trust himself to speak so he didn’t. His throat felt dry and crackly. He simply allowed himself to be comforted by Harry.

Harry told him again that he was beautiful and he made him believe it. Draco melted to his will and submitted himself fully enjoying how Harry was making him feel. He worshipped his body like he did that first time. He planted soft kisses everywhere exploring every inch of him. He showed him how much he cared putting all his feelings into actions as he cherished him and made him feel like a prince. He got some oil from somewhere and rubbed it into Draco’s shoulders and back, easing away all the tension as he lay on his stomach. Harry then took the oil and massaged his feet, then his legs, working up his thighs. 

The massage had started out relaxing but it built and got more sensual and sexual as it progressed. Harry was very talented with his hands. He splayed them and gripped the cheeks of his arse, kneading the muscles. He’s groped him here a few times of course and had joked about how much he liked Draco’s ‘perky little bum’ but he had never quite paid this much attention to it before. He was getting dangerously close to that most intimate of areas where Draco had never let anyone go before him and suddenly it didn’t feel relaxing anymore.

Draco quickly turned so that he was lying on his back and looking up at Harry, distracting him by saying there was one area in particular that was feeling left out. Harry had paused slightly and Draco definitely caught a slight look of disappointment before Harry laughed it off and followed Draco’s new train of thought. It had resulted in one of the best blow jobs Draco had ever had so it had hardly been a bad ending but Draco had been mildly distracted throughout as to what Harry would have done if Draco hadn’t turned round. How far would he have gone? The thoughts of what Harry could do for him both turned Draco on more than anything else ever had and scared him, making him feel useless, inexperienced and vulnerable. It was a confusing mix. He didn’t know why he was holding back still, he trusted Harry completely and he did want it… but there was just still a barrier there that he couldn’t explain and part of him hated himself for it.

As he drifted off to sleep he wondered again what was wrong with him and why did he feel like a stupid virgin all of a sudden. He was cross with himself for still having all these insecurities, these barriers. How could he get rid of them and how long would it take? How long would Harry be patient for and what would happen when his patience ran out? Would he move on to someone else who could give him everything? Someone less broken?

One way or another he needed to sort it out. He wanted to give Harry everything and he would, soon…


	33. Harry: Friday 28th October

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Harry finally tells Ron and Hermione the identity of his new boyfriend and we have their full and separate reactions here!  
> Also features a cute moment with Harry and Draco talking about what they smell when they encounter a love potion! <3 ;)

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So yeah.... I'm so so so sorry!  
> I know it's been ages since my last update and I apologise if anyone was waiting for this chapter.  
> I want to reassure you that even if my updates do take longer than usual, I am still working on this story and I won't ever abandon it.  
> We are slowly getting towards the end now and I am definitely going to finish it. (Lots more goodies still to come though!)  
> My day to day life is just a lot busier now than it was when I started this story that's all!
> 
> To make it up to you this chapter is way longer than I thought it would be!  
> I hope it's worth the wait! :D

“Your shoulders feel less tense today. Did you enjoy your massage last night?” Harry asked whilst rubbing Draco’s slender shoulders during their morning shower together. They usually did this when Draco was working from home and had a bit more time.

“Of course I enjoyed it. I thought that was obvious.” Draco said, turning back around to face Harry and letting the water run down his back rinsing the shower gel that Harry had just rubbed in. 

Draco took a step closer to him and started running his soft wet hands over his chest getting lower and lower. “You know, I don’t remember you getting off before we went to sleep.” He said casually.

Harry just shrugged. “Last night was about you.” He said simply.

“Hmm, well what about now?” Draco asked, taking Harry’s semi-hard length into his hands.

“I mean, yeah, now could work. I’m not in a hurry for anything.” Harry said with a bit of a grin.

Needless to say that they arrived in the kitchen a bit later than usual that morning...

That was probably why, when they eventually made it downstairs, Narcissa was already enjoying her morning cup of tea whilst reading the paper and Hopsy was half way through cooking breakfast.

Harry usually liked cooking breakfast but he supposed he couldn’t be annoyed at Narcissa asking her elf to make it if Harry hadn’t been around. Besides this was the last morning that Narcissa and Hopsy would be here so it really didn’t matter. He actually didn’t mind Narcissa anymore, he’d gotten used to her presence but at the same time it would be nice to be able to fully relax in the house again. Especially as tomorrow was date night and Harry was hoping when they got home they might be able to take things further in the bedroom. Not having Draco’s mother in the house would definitely help but Harry still wouldn’t push him if it wasn’t what he wanted.

He greeted Narcissa politely and then went to make coffee for him and Draco whilst Draco sat next to her and asked if there was anything important in the news. Once the coffee was done he decided to just sit down at the table and let Hopsy do all the work for a change, she clearly wanted to and Harry was feeling lazy today.

In a way it had been nice to have Draco’smother around them a bit, it kind of made their relationship feel much more real. He thinks he even has her approval in dating her son too which means an awful lot to him. Narcissa hadn’t said it in so many words, Harry didn’t feel like that was her style, but Draco was right really (as usual). By not saying she disapproved, she was basically saying it was OK… right? That’s what Harry was telling himself anyway.

After breakfast Narcissa said her goodbyes but she assured them both that she wanted regular dinner invitations and that she would be seeing them soon. They were left in no doubt that she wanted to be part of their life together which was nice, even if it was said in a slightly threatening way. Harry politely wished her well on the start of her building plans and said honestly that he was looking forward to seeing her new home when it was finished. He also said genuinely that he really hoped she enjoyed the time with her sister and joked that part of him was jealous that she would be getting to spend a lot more time with Teddy.

Harry hadn't mentioned it to anyone but after having Teddy here the other night he was starting to wonder whether he could have him here more often. He’d never wanted to have Teddy here before because he didn’t think it was nicer than Teddy’s house or the Burrow so there was no point. Especially as there was no outside space here and Teddy loved being outside. Now though the house felt a lot more like a home and Harry actually saw it in a completely new light. It was almost like it had never been home before mentally more than physically but now sharing it with someone made all the difference. 

There were still a lot of unused rooms and he vaguely wondered about the possibility of Teddy having a bedroom here and then he could stay every now and then if he wanted to. Of course he might not want to and he didn’t really need to, maybe it was stupid idea. It was just that once Harry got an idea in his head it was sometimes hard to shake it. Would Draco mind if Teddy stayed here sometimes? Would Dromeda want that? Would Teddy have fun here with Harry and Draco? Hmm, it was something to think about anyway. Maybe it would come up again in the future.

Hopsy helped Narcissa move out and Kreacher even offered to help too which Narcissa graciously accepted. Harry had never seen Kreacher off help like that. He was an odd one to work out, sometimes he seemed more than happy to help and pleased to be asked. He even moaned if Harry didn’t want his help half the time but then when Harry would ask him to do things he usually found a few to moan about them too. Harry didn’t mind though, he knew that Kreacher wasn’t actually unhappy, it was just that moaning was his natural state. It was done in a kind of affectionate way though. Still it was strange to see Kreacher offer to help so freely without grumbling.

It did mean though that Harry and Draco were free to get started on Draco’s mail owl orders for the day. Harry had agreed to help Draco so they could get the first round of dispatches done quickly and then have the middle part of the day to work on the book together. Harry was due at Hermione’s at three so Draco would have time to do the second dispatch then before working hours were done. Then they were both actually planning on being out tonight but separately. 

Harry was going to the pub with Ron and Draco was going out to dinner with Blaise which Harry was pleased about. He knew that they used to go to dinner just the two of them every Tuesday but that hadn’t happened the last few weeks so it was nice that Draco had time with his friend, they both needed that. Daphne would be at Astoria’s hen party so it looked like it was guys night tonight. Harry was also looking forward to having separate time with his two best friends. He liked going round for dinner and being the three of them (well four with Rose) but he hadn't had some quality one on one time with either of them in a while. 

Also he hadn't been out to the pub in a while either. He definitely wasn’t planning on getting drunk ever again, not properly anyway, but relaxing with a few drinks on a Friday night with a mate sounded nice. No whiskey, just beer, beer would be good. Draco hated beer and they didn’t even have any in the house. Not because he’d banned it or anything just because Harry hadn't really bothered to get some for himself. He enjoyed sharing a bottle of wine with Draco or guests when they had them, much more so than he used to, but if Draco wasn’t drinking then Harry didn’t see the point at home anymore.

They sent off the smallest orders with their Hobbit owls first so they could have an excuse to hang out with their favourite owls for a bit first. Gandalf affectionately nibbled on Harry’s fingers from his position next to him on the desk from time to time and Harry would absentmindedly reach out to stroke him sometimes too. Predictably, Draco’s owl Aquila sat proudly on his shoulder for almost the entire time they were working. 

This was obviously a dynamic they were used to and when Harry questioned it Draco admitted that he used to visit the Malfoy owlery a lot when he was younger. Apparently he would then walk round the grounds for hours with Aquila on his shoulder just chatting away to her. Draco blushed slightly in an embarrassed way as he said this, which was rather cute, but it was also painful for Harry to be reminded again just how lonely Draco’s childhood had been at times. 

Harry had confessed to Draco that talking to Hedwig when he was shut away in his bedroom during the summers at Privet Drive had been the only thing that kept him sane half the time. He hoped that at least Draco would realise he wasn’t the only one, it was yet another thing that brought them together despite the differences they’d had in their childhood too. Harry loved Gandalf, he really did. Partly because he was a beautiful owl with a very nice temperament, but mostly because he had been a gift from Draco. However, when he saw the way that Draco looked at the owl he’d had since childhood it did make him miss Hedwig. 

He learnt more about Draco’s childhood and his culture as they worked that morning. Harry wanted to know what to expect from the wedding on Monday. He’d only been to two weddings in his life and they’d both been Weasleys weddings so he didn’t really have much experience. He had been invited to a few ministry co-workers weddings over the years of course but it just never felt right to go. He was a bit worried that the attention would be on him rather than the couple getting married. Plus some aurors had to be at work for the first response team so he’d always volunteered for that.

Draco had never actually been to a wedding as an adult before but he’d been to plenty of pure-blood weddings growing up. When he spoke about them he actually had a smile on his face too and Harry could tell he’d enjoyed them. He spoke passionately about all the colours, the decorations and the outfits before Harry teased him mercilessly for being a secret wedding fanatic. Draco didn’t seem to mind that though. He freely admitted that he was one but he said if Harry told anyone then he would flat out deny it. 

There was one thing niggling away though at the back of Harry’s mind watching Draco talk with fondness about weddings… Would Draco ever want to get married to him? Was that in their future? Would Draco get all excited about planning it? He hoped so… he really did…

*~*

It was about half eleven when they sat down in the lounge with a latte each, a pile of notes and a plate of biscuits on the coffee table.

“Feels like ages since we’ve done this.” Draco commented with a smile as they resumed their regular positions on the sofa.

“Hmm it does.” Harry agreed. He put his drink on the coffee table and relaxed back, patting his chest. “Com’ere first. I wanna cuddle.” 

Draco scoffed like he would never do such a thing and rolled his eyes, yet he still put his drink on the table too and snuggled into Harry putting his head on his chest just like Harry knew he would. Harry kissed the top of his head and wrapped his arms around him holding him close. Every time he held Draco it felt like a privilege that he was even allowed to. He knew he didn’t ‘own’ Draco or anything like that but he still felt like Draco was his precious prince to look after and spoil. It was all Harry had ever wanted, to have someone to look after and hold like this.

“We have the house back to ourselves again.” Harry said, running his hands through Draco’s hair.

“So we do.” Draco said simply.

“It was good to get to know your mother more but I prefer this.” Harry said stroking down Draco’s long lean back with his other hand. “Just me and you, here in our home together.”

“Yes I agree. This is better.” Draco said shifting himself up slightly so he could nestle into Harry’s neck and give him a kiss there.

Hmm, that felt nice. Harry always loved it when Draco kissed his neck. “You know for someone who always goes on about how much they hate cuddling you never do seem to mind it that much.” Harry pointed out affectionately.

“I don’t like it.” Draco said with a smile, snuggling in even close to Harry so that the front of his body was completely pressed into Harry’s side. “I hate this, it’s absolute torture.” He carried on in the least convincing manner whilst running his hand up Harry’s chest and kissing up his neck onto his stubbly jawline.

“Well no one is forcing you.” Harry said jokingly, lifting his hands up in the air so that he was no longer touching Draco. 

Draco frowned and then reached up to get hold of Harry’s hands and move them so they were wrapped back around him again which made Harry laugh. They sat like that for a while just holding each other. These were the moments that Harry loved, the moments he’d never really shared with Fred unless something was wrong and Fred knew he needed a cuddle. But here nothing was wrong, they were just enjoying the moment and these were the moments he wondered whether he would ever have. Yet here he was with someone to cuddle, someone to cherish, someone to sit in comfortable silence with and just enjoy being with each other.

After a while though Draco started to stretch and sat himself back up. He leaned back against the arm of the sofa still facing towards Harry and brought his legs up over Harry’s lap, summoning his latte and warming it up slightly with a lazy flick of his wand. 

“So, I guess we’re at the start of the Horcrux hunt now then? How much have you written about your time on the run?” Draco asked Harry.

“Well remember I told you about breaking into the Ministry to steal a locket from Umbridge’s neck? I’ve written until just before that morning.” Harry said with a small smile.

Draco shook his head in disbelief at that. “Yes, I’ve been waiting for that story. I’m still not sure it really happened. But then I failed to believe the rumour that you flew out of Gringotts on a dragon until I heard you tell the story to Teddy the other day, so I guess anything is possible. There’s still things I don’t understand about that though but I guess we’re not there yet?” Draco finished with a slight frown.

“No not yet.” Harry clarified. “That comes after Easter, you know, erm, after that time at- at the Manor.”

Draco took a deep breath remembering everything from back then and piecing a few things together in his head. “Right OK. So back up here, the locket that you stole from Umbridge’s neck, was that- was that another horcrux? Because I thought you got that one with Dum-Dumbledore in the cave that night?”

Harry knew that Draco still had difficulties, saying Dumbledore’s name. They’d talked that all through obviously that first day they’d really spoken about anything. Draco knew logically that it wasn’t his fault but it still didn’t stop him feeling guilty about his death in a small way. Harry understood that feeling, it was how he felt about Sirius. 

“That locket was a fake.” Harry said flatly. 

It didn’t really pain him anymore, not every all these years. Again, he knew logically that the trip hadn’t been a waste but he’d still never quite shaken the image of forcing his former headmaster to drink that horrible potion which weakened him.

“It was fake?” Draco said with wide eyes. “But then the whole trip, the cave, the potion? It was a…”

“Waste of time?” Harry finished for him. Draco nodded painfully. “Yeah, I thought so too at the time. It really hurt but like I’ve said, Dumbledore would have died anyway one way or another. We both have to remember that.” He said firmly squeezing Draco’s thigh that was draped over his lap. “Also we might never have found the real locket without Regulus’ note so guess it all worked out in the end. That’s what we have to tell ourselves, always.”

Draco looked like he was considering that and couldn’t really argue that point. He nodded slowly and then questioned Harry’s words. “Regulus’ note?”

“Yeh it was hidden inside the fake locket.” Harry said summoning the pages he had written. “It’s all in here, it will be easier for you to read. It starts with Dumbledore’s funeral so, erm, well just so you know.”

Draco swallowed thickly and took a deep breath before taking the pages from Harry. “I- I saw the pictures in the paper. Everyone at- at the Manor was _laughing_ about them and I just- I… well it made me feel sick. I tried to avoid anyone at the Manor anyway, wherever possible, but that day in particular... Well I just hid in the owlery with Aquila. I felt like a coward for not being there but of course there was no way I could have gone… It just felt wrong somehow.”

“Yeah, that must… that must have been tough. I’m sorry..” Harry said stroking Draco’s leg in a soothing way. “It was a hard day, but it was kind of beautiful in a way. It was when things really started for me though I guess, the war I mean. It was when I knew I wouldn’t be going back to school, that I had to finish what Dumbledore started and find the horcruxes. I wrote about that too and how it felt. I thought then that I’d be doing it alone. Anyone that came with me would be in danger and I didn’t want that but of course Ron and Hermione came anyway. They knew what was going to happen, they’d made up their minds too, planned it all out. I- I tried to argue with them, of course but I- I- couldn’t have done it without them.”

Harry's voice was cracking slightly with emotion now and Draco was the one soothing him, rubbing his thumb in small circles across the back of his hand. 

“I know we’ve had our differences over the years but they will just always mean everything to me for what they did, what we went through together. It meant everything to me that I could confide in them, doing it alone would have just been…”

“I know Harry. It’s ok.” Draco reassured him. “I’m really glad you had them too. Obviously I didn’t exactly _like_ them at school but we’ve already established I was a bigoted prick as a teenager so…”

“Yeah you were.” Harry pointed out with a smile which earned him a playful smack from his boyfriend. 

“But seriously,” Draco continued. “I have a whole new level of respect for them now. They really did a lot for you and the wizarding world in general really. I know they will probably still hate me and I won’t blame them but I- I hope they can still stand by you in this too, with us.”

“They will.” Harry said stubbornly.

Draco raised his eyebrows slightly. Harry knew he was worried about it and he could see why but he also knew his best friends in a way that Draco had yet to understand.

“They might not be happy about it but that’s the thing with Ron and Hermione, that’s what I’m trying to explain to you, they always end up coming through and supporting me no matter what. Yeah sometimes we fight about it first but underneath everything our friendship is always still strong. They didn’t like me being with Fred but it didn’t stop us being friends. I’ll admit that there was a kind of awkwardness there about it sometimes but they didn’t really give me any grief about it after the first few months or so.”

Draco was twitching slightly in his seat and looked a bit uncomfortable still. Harry was nervous too really, they both knew today was the day that Harry was going to tell Ron and Hermione and truthfully Harry didn’t know how it was going to go but he was doing his best to reassure himself as well as Draco.

“Let’s focus on the book for now shall we?” He said in the end when Draco still hadn’t said anything. “We can talk more about Ron and Hermione tonight after I tell them but try not to worry about it OK? It will all work out fine in the end I promise.”

“You can’t promise that.” Draco pointed out slightly sourly.

“I can!” Harry said with a slightly forced grin. “You said it yourself, half my stories are impossible yet I still managed them. Didn’t you know? I’m Harry Potter the Saviour of the Wizarding World! I can do anything!”

“Hmm, I think I prefer you when you’re being self-deprecating.” Draco mumbled but there was still a tiny hint of a smile there.

Harry chuckled slightly as Draco finally settled down to read the pages. Harry took the time to summon his own latte which had definitely gone cold by now. Thank God for magic otherwise he’d have to walk all the way into the other room and heat it up in the microwave which he was feeling far too lazy to do. There was also the fact that he was very comfortable with Draco’s legs across his lap still.

He watched Draco subtlety as he read wondering again when it was that Draco became so expressive. He could tell when Draco was feeling slightly sad and guilty about Dumbledore’s funeral. Then he could tell when Draco was reading about Harry’s own thoughts and feelings as his expression softened and he looked the way he did when Harry wondered if Draco was in love with him too. There was the occasional frown that flitted through Draco’s face, the slight look of disbelief sometimes too. 

It was funny really as now Draco was one of the most expressive people Harry knew and he was usually pretty good at knowing exactly how he felt. Once he would have just been a completely blank mask. Now Harry loved to watch the way his face changes, the little wrinkle lines that would appear on his forehead as he frowned, the slight tug of his thin lips when he was smiling inside, the way his eyes sparkled sometimes and then get all stormy other times. He loved it all. Draco really was beautiful.

It was only when Draco finally got to the end and looked up that he realised Harry was now staring at him. Subtlety had gone out the window a while ago but Draco had been too engrossed in the words to notice.

“What?” He said looking at Harry with a slight frown.

“I just like watching you.” Harry said fondly. “You’re really beautiful you know.” He said as he reached over to trace a line down the side of Draco’s face. His skin was smooth but his jaw was sharp, it was a delicious contrast.

“Don’t watch me, that’s creepy.” Draco bit back slightly but his eyes softened, like Harry knew they would, betraying how he really felt at being adored in the way that Harry did.

Harry ignored his words and focused on the slight smile that was forming on Draco's lips. He leaned forward to capture them in one soft but slightly lingering kiss. He could literally feel Draco’s smile growing bigger as he pulled away.

“So what do you think?” Harry prompted Draco nudging the notes still in his hand.

Draco shook his head disbelievingly again. “Well it was smart to bide your time and watch the comings and goings of the Ministry workers like that but this plan you formed is still crazy. So much could go wrong and… Well, I’m guessing by some miracle it doesn’t because it obviously all worked out in the end but I still can’t see how you managed it.”

“Oh the plan fell apart the moment we arrived.” Harry chuckled slightly and then he shrugged slightly arrogantly. “But you know, winging it is what I do best.”

Draco scoffed and muttered something under his breath that Harry didn’t quite catch and decided to ignore anyway. 

“Come on, get the fresh parchment.” Harry said giving Draco’s leg a little poke. “I’ll tell you the whole story and you can take notes.”

Draco was as diligent as ever and took his primary role as scribe very seriously but he still stopped every now and then to react to the tale. Harry had to admit, telling it back it did sound crazy but at the time it had just been what they had to do. Like most things in life he reacted on instinct and just got the job done. Still, Draco was right when he pointed out how lucky they were. Harry made sure to tell him to include that in the book. He’d been trying to tell people for years that his ‘heroics’ were mostly just luck! Draco definitely seemed inclined to believe him, but then that was one of the things that Harry loved about Draco, he didn’t treat him like some hero to be idolised.

They talked more about what happened after the ministry. How Ron had gotten splinched and Hermione had saved him too but how it meant they couldn’t go back to Grimmauld Place anymore. Harry had been so looking forward to Kreacher’s pie too. Now that Draco knew the full story of Kreacher and Regulus he definitely seemed to understand the house elf they now shared more and Harry’s slightly strange relationship with him.

“So where did you end up then, if you couldn’t get back here?” Draco asked.

“Hermione took us to the forest of Dean.” Harry explained. “It was the first place she thought of because she used-”

“-to go on camping holidays there as a child.” Draco finished for him.

Harry looked up in surprise and gave him a quizzical look.

“You told me the first time I saw you again.” Draco reminded him. “When I asked you what she smelt when she encountered Armotentia.” 

“Oh yeah, I remember now.” Harry said with a faint smile. “You would have known the answer when you asked me that. She said it in front of the whole class.”

“Of course I knew but _Pierre_ wouldn’t know would he?” Draco said, rolling his eyes. “I like to know as much as possible about the person I’m creating my products for and to be fair that is a question I ask my other customers but they don’t always know. I genuinely did want to impress you with the order but I couldn't very well make things in her favourite scents without you telling me what they were. That would have been far too suspicious.”

“You wanted to impress me?” Harry asked with a cheeky grin and a raised eyebrow.

“Of course I did.” Draco said in a bit of a sulky way. “It’s all I’ve ever wanted really, I tried to impress you when I first met you. I just didn’t know that those things wouldn’t be impressive to you.”

He said it a bit quietly and Harry couldn’t help think a couple of weeks ago Draco would have never admitted that. But they’d come a long way since then.

“Well no, _that_ Draco didn’t impress me to be fair.” Harry admitted but with a smile. Then he reached out to give Draco a playful poke in the ribs. “ _This_ Draco impresses me every day though.” He said in a playful tone but looked at Draco in a way that would convery he was serious. 

Draco made eye contact with him and smiled shyly.

“For what it’s worth, the gift basket did really impress me.” Harry said genuinely. “It impressed Hermione too.”

“Yes well what’s she going to be like later when you tell her who really made it?” Draco said with a slightly bitter tone.

“She’ll still be impressed that you found something you love and that you’re good at it and focused on that for several years.” Harry said seriously. “You’ve worked really hard to get to where you are today with your potions masters and your alchemy studies too. She will probably admire you more for it and will definitely want to talk to you about working with one of Flamel’s appearances in France.”

There was a slight moment of silence but Draco was looking thoughtful and slightly more positive. After a little while he spoke again but asked something Harry didn’t expect and seemed slightly nervous about it.

“What- what did you smell, you know, with the Armotentia?” He said looking down at Harry’s hand rather than his face.

“Treacle tart obviously.” Harry said with a smile to which Draco rolled his eyes but smiled too and seemed slightly more relaxed even if he was waiting for the rest of the list.

“Anything else?” He prompted quietly.

“There was definitely a woody smell that reminded me of broomsticks, it's kind of similar to what you put in my aftershave actually.” Harry carried on and noticed Draco raising his eyes to him as if interested by that and happy with it. Harry took a bit of a deep breath before admitting the most incriminating of the three smells. “There was also a, erm, well a kind of flowery smell which I, er, I didn’t recognise at the time but now I think it, erm, well… I think it could be chamomile. It, er, sort of reminds me of you I guess.” He said slightly flushed and looked away from Draco.

He felt Draco squeeze his hand and when he looked at him again Draco was giving him that look again. The look that George had talked about. The look that made Harry want to tell Dracohow much he loved him as he thought Draco must feel the same way. Date night tomorrow, he reminded himself.

Instead he asked. “What about you?”

Draco’s smile grew. “Well it’s actually pretty similar to yours.” He said confidently which made Harry’s chest constrict slightly and look at Draco with a sort of hopeful look. “There was definitely a note of vanilla and a sort of buttery smell which reminds me of french pastries. I also smelt chamomile, it’s always relaxed me as you know.” Draco said fondly.

Then he moved Harry’s hand into his lap and caressed it with his other hand whilst he paused and took a deep breath. “The third scent I didn’t understand at the time. I thought it must be to do with flying but then I never loved it as much as you did. I only joined the Quidditch team to have more competition with you, and I’d even given it up that year, so I wasn’t sure why I would smell it as strongly as I did in the love potion. I suppose maybe all these years later it finally makes sense.”

Draco took another breath and moved his hand over Harry’s still as he looked into his eyes. “I actually realised it about a month ago. It’s sandalwood which they do use in a lot of broom polishes and yes I also put it in your aftershave as now it’s a smell I always associate with you.”

Harry felt his breath hitch. Was that basically an admission of love? Should he take it like that or was that not what Draco meant? Wasn’t it odd that they had both smelt something in a love potion at sixteen that later reminded them of each other? Harry never thought he believed in soulmates but that had to mean something… right?

*~*

After a slightly late light lunch Harry had gone for a run whilst Draco went back to work. He took a shower and got himself dressed slightly nicer than he would usually look to go to Hermione’s as he would be going out with Ron later. He wore his favourite pair of black jeans, the ones that Draco particularly liked too, and a grey shirt that reminded him of Draco’s eyes. 

He was already running a bit late but Hermione wouldn’t expect him to be on time anyway and he wanted to make sure he said a proper goodbye to Draco before he left. He knocked on Draco’s office door as he always did, it was only polite, but he went in eagerly when he heard Draco’s voice becoming him in. As he opened the door Draco looked him up and down approvingly, or maybe more hungrily. He loved that look in Draco’s eye but it was getting harder and harder not to just pin him up against the wall and fuck him senseless when he looked at Harry like that.

“You look good. Maybe too good.” He said with a slight frown.

“Too good?” Harry questioned not seeing Draco’s train of thought for a minute.

“Yes, I don’t want everyone flirting with you when you go out tonight.” Draco said with a pout that Harry knew was entirely serious even if it did look a bit funny.

Harry stepped forward and cupped Draco’s face in his hands. “You know you have nothing to worry about my Prince. Not when I have the fittest boyfriend at home waiting for me.”

Draco half smiled at that but then raised his eyebrow slightly. “Who says I’m going to be waiting here for you. I’m going out too tonight remember?”

Harry had actually forgotten even though Draco had told him several times. “Oh that’s right. Well in that case maybe I should be worried about people flirting with you. You’re much more gorgeous than I am.”

“Yes that is true.” Draco said in an arrogant way but Harry knew he was only joking around. 

“Well you tell them that you’re mine.” Harry said leaning down to whisper dangerously into Draco’s ear before giving it a playful nibble. He didn’t notice the slight satisfied noise that Draco made or the shiver that went down his back. Hmm, that was interesting.

Harry chuckled slightly before giving Draco a proper kiss on the mouth and then straightening up. “Seriously though, have fun tonight. You deserve it.” He said sincerely. “But tell Blaise he better not flirt with you either.” 

“Please! He’s been flirting with you much more often than me recently. I don’t think he’s interested in me anymore.” Draco said as if he was hurt by it.

“Well luckily for you I am still very very interested in you and always will be.” Harry said, running his hands through Draco’s ear. “I’ll show you just how much tonight when I get back, if you’re back before me that is. If you’re not then I might have to get started myself and hope that you come home in time to finish me off.” He said in his best attempt to be seductive. 

He wasn’t really sure if he was good or not but he was trying and gaining more confidence with his dirty talk as time went on. Draco always seemed to respond well to it.

“You’d better not get started without me. Your cock is mine Potter.” Draco said threateningly.

“Hmm OK then I concede. You can have it all.” Harry said chuckling as Draco ran his hand teasingly over the front of Harry’s jeans.

He leaned down again to give Draco a quick kiss before he stepped away. Just as he was turning towards the door thought Draco stood up and suddenly seemed more serious.

“Before you go.” He started, making Harry turn back round to face them. “I have these for… well for Ronald and Hermione.” He said nervously as he reached down to get two sealed letters from his desk.

Harry frowned slightly but stepped forward to take them. He could see they were neatly and formally addressed, one for Ron and one for Hermione. “What…-” He started to ask slowly before Draco cut him off.

“They’re apology letters, you know... for the way I was at school, the things I said. I thought, well I don’t know if it will help or not but it just felt like the right thing to do. I know I’m a coward but apologising in person would be harder I think and when I see them on Sunday everyone else will be there. This way… well they can read them and hopefully see that I have changed now and I am sincere. At the very least they’ll have time to process and adjust before I see them.” Draco said, trying to sound confident but his voice was cracking slightly.

Harry smiled at him and put the letters in his back pocket. Then he stepped forward to put his hands up over Draco’s shoulders and rub the base of his neck slightly in the way that soothed Draco. Draco accepted the touch happily and wrapped his hands around Harry’s waist. 

“That’s a really nice idea Draco. Thank you for the effort you’re putting in for my friends.” Harry said sincerely, looking up at him slightly.

Draco dipped his forehead down and rested it on Harry’s. He didn’t say anything and Harry could tell he was still nervous but he wasn’t quite sure what he could do in this moment to make him feel more at ease. It would be better tonight when he could hopefully tell Draco how well Ron and Hermione took it and then he could show Draco how much he meant to him.

“Have a good time with Blaise and don’t worry about Ron and Hermione. It will all be fine.” Harry said confidently to Draco, giving him another kiss. “I won’t be late home but obviously if you’re having a good time then stay out as long as you like.”

“I won’t be late either.” Draco assured him. “You have fun too.”

Draco still looked slightly uneasy as Harry went to go. Harry was a bit unsure about leaving him but he really was late by now and there wasn’t much he could say to reassure him that he hadn’t already said. The best thing to do would be to just show him Sunday that everyone accepted him and it was fine.

He stepped into Hermione’s front door at quarter past three so he wasn’t as late as he could have been. He expected her to be sitting at the small desk she said in the corner of the living room where she usually ‘worked from home’ on her day off but she wasn’t there. The desk was actually completely free of any paperwork and she was waiting for him on the sofa with a pot of tea and a plate of biscuits. There was also a mug of coffee on the table too.

“Hey.” He said, taking his shoes and jacket off by the door and walking into the open-placed country cottage style room. 

“Hi.” She said smiling. “I have a coffee ready for you, I know you don’t like tea.”

“Thanks.” He said walking over and settling himself happily on the sofa besides her. “Rose asleep?” He asked, eyeing the muggle baby monitor also on the coffee table.

“Yes, she didn’t sleep that well last night so I expect she’ll be out of it until dinner time now.” Hermione said unconcerned and sipping on her tea.

Harry gestured over to the empty desk. “No work today?” He said with a raised eyebrow and a smile.

“Erm no, I put it all away. I thought we were going to talk.” She said slightly tentatively.

Harry sighed, it was true he had come to talk he just didn’t really realise Hermione knew that. It was quite normal for him to come over on a Friday afternoon now after all. “Yeah, I er, did want to talk to you actually. How did you know?”

She smiled slightly and gave a noncommittal shrug. “Well I know about Malfoy- Oh sorry, that’s not his name anymore is it? That’s strange. Ron did tell me, then it was in the paper too. What do I call him now? Black seems odd.” She said frowning.

“Call him Draco?” Harry suggested, slightly amused.

Hermione looked like she was slightly uncomfortable with that at first but then shook her head as if she knew she was being ridiculous.

“Right of course. Well, I know he has been staying with you from Ron and a bit about the case with Lucius Malfoy. Ron said that you were taking him out tonight to explain it all. That means there is much more to the story than you’ve let on and if you’re taking Ron out to the pub to talk then it means you’re worried about his reaction. Usually when you’re worried about how Ron will react to something you talk to me first. So hence the drinks and the biscuits” She explained as she always did, like she was reciting it straight out of a book.

Harry actually laughed slightly and shook his head. “Top marks as always Hermione.”

She smiled shyly but still looked slightly pleased with herself.

“So what’s going on?” She asked simply. “How did you get involved in the case? When did you first see, erm, _Draco_ again after all these years? Ron said you’re friends now or something.”

She looked at him with a slight frown as if he didn’t quite understand and was worried about something but then she also sat back and looked like she was willing to listen and hear Harry out.

“Well,” Harry started slowly. “It all started with your birthday present actually.” He said slightly amused as he had just been reminiscing about that meeting with Draco.

“My birthday present? The pamper gift basket from that new shop, Pierre’s?” Hermione asked, looking even more confused. “What’s that got to do with Draco?”

“Erm, well listen you can’t tell anyone about this, anyone outside the family that is. It’s not public knowledge and I’m not sure if Draco will ever want to reveal that or not but he is Pierre. Draco made your birthday gift, it’s his business.”

“It’s- it’s…” Hermione started and looked like she was thinking it through. “That does make sense actually. We knew Draco went to France and no one heard from him in years. Then this fancy french potions and perfume shop opens just at the same time when Draco starts appearing in the papers again... You know I can actually see him making those as well, they have his flair and he always was good at potions… But then some of the other products were very impressive too, he must have studied alchemy or something…”

“He did.” Harry interrupted. Hermione was going off on one like she always did, thinking out loud and Harry knew she would just carry on until someone interrupted her. Now she was looking at him waiting for him to clarify matters. “He actually worked pretty hard in France. He did a joint potions and alchemy masters and was mentored by one of Nicholas Flamel’s old apprentices. He even studied muggle chemistry and aromatherapy.”

Hermione raised her eyebrows at that. “He studied muggle practices and science?”

Harry gave her a soft smile. “Yeah he did. He recognises that they have some things to teach us too. He’s really changed Hermione, you should see him watching the muggle news it’s very entertaining. Oh and he knows how to use all the appliances in the kitchen now.” Harry said with a fond sort of chuckle.

He’d been told before how his face lit up when he talked about Draco and he thought it probably had now as Hermione was looking at him very strangely. No doubt she was already working it out but it didn’t much matter, he wasn’t hiding it anymore anyway.

“That’s very interesting.” Was all she said. Then after a moment of consideration she asked him another question. “So how did you know that it was him?”

“Well Fred and George had been working closely with this potions guy for about a year and I actually had potions from him too by owl order.” Harry explained as he drank his coffee. “Then I was at the flat when the shop opened across the road and the twins told me it was the same guy. I could tell they were hiding something about him though and I was intrigued. Plus we’d actually talked a bit about Draco because his split with Daphne had been in the papers. Oh that was fake anyway by the way but we’ll get to that. I said I needed to find him anyway to talk to him about the book and I just had a bit of a hunch by the way they reacted to him and they kept calling him ‘Draco’ which was odd at the time.”

He stopped to take another sip of the coffee. It wasn’t as nice as the coffee he could make himself at home to be honest but it was a nice gesture. 

“Anyway, I went because I was being nosy and met Daphne behind the counter. I actually really liked her straight away, there was just something about her. Plus I actually did think the gift baskets looked nice and you would appreciate one so I made an appointment with ‘Pierre’ the next day. He changes his hair and his eyes. I don’t know if I would have recognised him if I wasn’t already suspicious of him, but I already had it in my head that it could be him. By the end of the meeting I was pretty convinced. It was in the little things I guess.”

“Did you tell him then? That you’d worked it out?” Hermione asked whilst quietly sipping her tea.

“No, I didn’t think it would go down too well and I wanted to be sure. I knew I needed to speak to him about the book though so I decided to go through Daphne as she was nice to me.” Harry continued. “We went out to dinner and then Daphne invited me to her for a dinner party with Blaise and Draco the next weekend. It was an... _interesting_ night, but it was good. I told Draco about the book and he was a bit defensive at first but I got through to him and he said he wanted to help me with it. So then that’s how the friendship properly started I guess, with us working on the book. He came round and to be honest it wasn’t as awkward as it should have been. We spoke a lot about everything, he apologised and explained his behaviour a bit at school and it was like I was seeing him for the first time. His childhood was pretty shitty and Lucius has been controlling him his whole life.”

Hermione scoffed. “That doesn’t excuse-”

Harry cut her off quickly. “I know it doesn’t and he knows that too. He’s not using it as an excuse but- well maybe his words will be better than mine. Here.” Harry said, taking the letters out of his back pocket and giving Hermione the one addressed to her.

She hesitated but then took it anyway. “This is from him?”

Harry nodded. “Apology letters he said. One for you and one for Ron. I didn’t know he was doing that and I didn’t ask him to. I have no idea what they say but yeah, maybe you should read it first and then we can talk more.”

“OK.” She said quietly.

They’d finished their hot drinks now so Harry took the opportunity to take the cups and the teapot to the kitchen and clean up a bit. He took his time and did it the muggle way to give Hermione a bit of space and then just hung back and watched her from the kitchen counter. After she’d read it through twice she set it down on the coffee table.

Harry walked over slowly and resumed his seat on the sofa but he waited for Hermione to speak first, she still seemed deep in thought. After a few more moments she spoke in a quiet contemplative thought.

“He really wrote this?” She asked.

Harry nodded but didn’t say anything.

“And you don’t know what it says?” She asked again in the same tone.

This time Harry shook his head but still stayed quiet.

“Wow.” She said simply. Then she took a deep breath and turned towards him. “I- I don’t recognise him in these words. This is written by someone mature, respectful and kind.”

“He is all of those things.” Harry insisted. “Maybe you should just forget the Draco you know and try and see him as a new person. If you met him now and didn’t know anything about him I know that you would like him.”

“You like him.” Hermione stated, it wasn’t a question.

“Yes I do.” Harry said back straight away.

“And he likes you... A lot it seems.” Hermione said gesturing back towards the letter.

Harry’s stomach lurched a bit, he didn’t think Draco would have mentioned him. When he didn’t reply Hermione addressed him.

“So you and him… you’re together? You’re not just helping him out or being his friend. You’re- you’re a couple.” Again he wasn't really sure if that was a question or not.

“He said that did he?” Harry asked with a faint chuckle. “Maybe I should have waited until the end to give you the letter after all.”

“So it’s true then?” She asked, looking at him curiously.

“Yes it’s true.” Harry said simply and then took a deep breath. “He’s my boyfriend and he’s not just staying with me for a bit, he’s moved in. It’s serious between us Hermione.”

“Wow.” Hermione said again, blinking rapidly in surprise but not really giving a reaction. “It’s a lot to take in. I- I did wonder. I knew it had to be more than you just helping him out with the case and giving him a place to stay. Ron said you seemed a bit shifty about it. I thought back in sixth year that you might have had some sort of crush on him but then you never said anything and I didn’t want to be the one to put the idea of you being gay or bisexual in your head. That was something you had to figure out for yourself and I wasn’t really sure anyway. I thought maybe he might turn your head if he was staying with you, he is an attractive man even I can see that. Then there’s the fact that you have been quite secretive about your new boyfriend.”

“So you did piece it all together then.” Harry said slightly amused. “I should have known you would.”

“Well I sort of did but I didn't really believe it.” She said honestly. “I just can’t see you together, don’t you just argue all the time?” She asked with a frown.

Harry laughed. “No we don’t really. I mean we had a few run-ins at the beginning but it was mostly just me being an idiot and him letting me know how stupid I was being. That’s what I like about him, he always calls me out on my bullshit. He never treats me like a hero figure yet he does still admire me for what I’ve been through on a personal level the same way I do with him. He’s been good to me you know. He got me to stop drinking so much and I’ve cut out the potions completely. I actually sleep at night now and I feel happy in my own home.”

“Yes you do seem much happier and healthier now, we’ve all noticed it.” Hermione replied sincerely. “Don’t you think… I mean, well it’s a bit fast isn’t it? He’s actually moved in, permanently?”

Harry shrugged, he knew this was the bit that she probably wouldn’t get. “Yes it is fast but it’s always been intense between us and I guess this is no different. We didn’t spend months going on dates and getting to know each other slowly I know, but we didn’t need to. On some level we already knew so much about each other yet really everything we thought we knew was wrong. So we dove straight in at the deep end and it got heavy pretty quickly. I told him all about the Dursleys and he told me about Lucius before we even thought about getting together really but that’s how I knew I could trust him and it would work. He already knows all the bad stuff about me and he didn’t judge me for any of it. I didn’t even have to properly explain things, he just got it. He knew how fucked up I was in the head but he wanted me anyway, I mean, that’s something right?”

“Yes I suppose that does make sense actually.” She said considering. “I know you’ve always felt it would be too much to explain everything to someone new but I suppose he would have a lot of insight into your life that other men might not.”

“I think he feels the same too. Like he thought he might not ever find someone to accept him for who he is, Dark Mark and all but if anyone knows what it was like coming face to face with Voldemort then it’s me.” Harry said casually.

“So it’s really serious then?” She asked. 

“Yeah…” Harry said slowly. “Living with him showed me that I guess. He did move in out of necessity first. He was hiding from Lucius and Grimmauld just made sense for a few reasons. Living with him though, well it really wasn’t as weird as it should have been. I actually found that I liked it and we just fitted into each other’s lives quite quickly without even meaning to. It just works and I- well, I can’t imagine my life without him anymore.”

Hermione gave him the tiniest smile and it was the first time her face softened and seemed less serious. “Do you- do you love him?”

Harry swallowed, he hadn’t actually admitted it out loud to anyone yet. “Y-yes. Yes I do.” He said quietly, his voice shaking slightly.

“Have you told him?” Was her next question.

He shook his head slightly. “No, not yet. I nearly have so many times but something keeps holding me back. I think he does love me too. I just- well I think it’s a bigger deal for him than it is for me and I’m not sure if he’s ready to say it back or not. I wasn’t even sure if he was ready to hear it but if I don’t tell him soon then I might go crazy.”

Hermione was quiet for a moment as she looked out the window into the garden. “You should tell him. Make it clear that he doesn’t have to say it back unless he’s ready but everyone likes to be told they are loved and it might be exactly what he needs.”

“Yeah… yeah you’re right.” Harry agreed slowly. “I’m taking him out tomorrow. He hasn’t really been able to leave the house much but now Lucius is out of the picture he can. We’re starting slow, just telling family for now and going somewhere muggle. Not quite ready to tell the whole wizarding world yet. Anyway, if the date goes well then I’ll probably tell him then.”

Hermione smiled properly at him this time and he met her eyes cautiously.

“Does this mean…? I mean, are you OK with this?” He asked tentatively.

“Would it matter if I wasn’t?” She countered curiously.

Harry sighed. “It would make it a lot harder. Your support means a lot to me and I know Draco has been really worried about it. He said he thought I might break up with him if you guys didn’t accept him but I told him that wouldn’t happen. I meant it too. I don’t want to choose anyone over anyone, I want to have you all but yeah… I wouldn’t leave him so…” He trailed off slightly awkwardly not really sure how to finish that sentence.

Hermione reached over to take his hand and give it a little platonic squeeze. “I know Harry, it’s OK. No one in this family would ask you to make that choice, you know we would always support you no matter what even if we didn’t like it or agree necessarily. You don’t need my blessing, if he makes you happy then that’s what matters. I can’t say I don’t have reservations, I think maybe I just need to see you too together but I’m willing to give him a chance. You deserve to be happy more than anyone Harry. You know it’s all we’ve ever wanted for you, to find someone you can have a real relationship with.”

Harry felt a single tear roll down his face that he didn’t even know was coming. Hermione reached up with her other hand and delicately wiped it away and then pulled him in for a hug. For a while they just held each other. It had been ages since they’d hugged like this and Harry realised in that moment how much Hermione meant to him. He’s always known but sometimes it was just easy to forget. He had been a bit worried about her reaction, truth be told. Draco had been horrible to her at school and she has every right to doubt his sincerity. She was also pretty fierce and had been known to hold a grudge. In this moment though Harry knew she would put all her personal feelings aside in favour of Harry’s happiness and that meant everything to him.

“Thank you.” He said into her ear just before she pulled away.

She smiled softly at him. “You’re welcome. But if he breaks your heart then I will punch him again. That felt good.”

Harry laughed. “Yes fair enough, I’ll give you that. I believe Fred and George have already threatened him with something similar.”

“So they know everything?” She asked casually.

“Yeah. Dromeda, Teddy and Narcissa know too.” Harry said shifting slightly. He was hoping Hermione wouldn’t mind not being the first to know.

If she did then she kept it to herself and just nodded slowly.

“So erm, any tips on how to break the news to Ron? I mean you saw his reaction when he thought I was dating Blaise. He might kill me.” Harry said, only half joking.

Hermione raised both her eyebrows and just looked at him for a moment. “Get him very drunk.” She said seriously and then sighed. “I’ll get the hangover potion ready for the morning.”

“Yeah good idea.” Harry said nodding along. "Erm Hermione? I, er, well I'm just getting it over in one big go I guess but he'd coming to the Burrow on Sunday for Molly's birthday. I'm not sure how everyone's going to react but, erm, well it would mean a lot to me if you could maybe try and talk to him and make him feel at home you know? You would understand all his work and studies in a way that I don't anyway."

Hermione looked at him seriously for a second. "He's coming to the Burrow? And he's OK with that?" She asked sceptically.

"No, I think he's terrified." Harry chuckled feebly and ran his fingers through his hair. "I'm not forcing him or anything, he can still back out but- well I guess he wants to do for me. He wants me to be able to be honest with you guys. We both just want to be a proper couple now I guess. No more hiding, at least from family. The rest of the world... well I guess that will come at some point."

"Yes, I suppose that's fair. You should be able to bring your boyfriend to your surrogate mother's birthday." She said sighing. Harry could tell that she was still conflicted by the whole idea of Draco being there but she was trying for Harry because she loves him like a brother. It was touching. "It's fine, of course I'll talk to him and be nice. I am genuinely interested in his studies anyway and I'd love to hear what Paris is like. Do you think they..."

And just like that Hermione was fine again. She was going on about libraries in Paris and what they did differently there in terms of the statue of secrecy. Harry just nodding along and felt relived not to be on the spot anymore. He knew that answering these types of questions on Sunday would probably help Draco feel at ease. He liked talking about his studies and his work. It was something he was knowledgeable and proud of. If him and Hermione could put their differences aside they would actually probably get on quite well.

Well the first stage of the plan had gone well really. Now it was time to start facing the rest of the Weasleys, starting with Ron.

*~*

Ron got back from work around five and Rose was just getting up from her afternoon nap then. Harry went to get her whilst Hermione greeted her husband and then they all had drinks in the lounge together. Ron made an early start on the beer grabbing one for Harry too and he seemed in very high spirits about their impending night out together. Harry thanked him again for handling the case so well and they both said they were pleased at how well it had got wrapped up in the end.

“You owe me a serious explanation for why you have that git staying in your house though mate.” Ron reminded him as they opened their beer bottles and toasted to it being the weekend. “But I guess he can go back to his bloody Manor now though.” He scoffed.

Harry gave a nervous glance at Hermione as she was preparing dinner in the kitchen but she just shrugged back at him as if to say ‘he’s your problem now’. 

“Actually, erm, Narcissa is demolishing the Manor and rebuilding a new home in its place.” He said casually whilst bouncing Rose on his lap slightly. “She’s staying with Dromeda whilst the work is being done. Dean and Seamus are doing it, well with their company of course. It’s a big job, will need a whole team.”

“Oh.” Ron said simply.

“Good riddance to that place.” Hermione said from over by the stove.

“Yeah, agreed.” Ron said, taking a sip of his beer. Then he frowned slightly. “So they’re sisters right? But they haven’t spoken in years?”

“Yeah, well you know Narcissa has been staying at mine too this week-”

“Yeah Merlin, two Slytherins in the same house, Feel for you man. I dunno why you didn’t just put them up in a hotel or something.” Ron interrupted screwing his nose up slightly. 

Harry ignored him and carried on. “-well Dromeda came round for dinner on Wednesday so they could be reacquainted and it went really well. Neither of them have any family left really so it’s good for both of them I think.”

“Yes, that is nice.” Hermione agreed sincerely. “I’m happy for Dromeda getting her sister back in her life and I’m pleased the meeting went well.”

“But you really OK with Mal- argh, Draco’s mum living with Teddy mate?” Ron asked, sounding worried about the prospect.

Harry groaned and rolled his head back in despair, maybe this would be harder than he thought. “Firstly, it’s not really up to me. I know that I do help raise Teddy but Dromeda is his primary carer and if she thinks it’s fine then it’s fine. Secondly, what do you think Narcissa’s going to do to Teddy exactly?!”

“I dunno, just might not be the best influence I guess.” Ron flushed slightly and mumbled into his drink.

“Narcissa’s alright really.” Harry shrugged. “I know she’s a bit stiff and formal but she’s not evil. I mean you saw her the other day, she was really polite to you.”

“Yeah she was actually, was a bit weird.” Ron said in a confused and amused sort of way. “Even Draco was polite. If he didn’t look exactly the same I’d refuse to believe it was him.” He scoffed. “Still, was a good case in the end. Williamson was worried because of how high profile the family is but apparently Mrs- erm, Ms Black, told him that I handled it very professionally. He even stopped by my office that afternoon to tell me I did a good job. The field team did all the hard work really. I knew Proudfoot would do a good job but Williamson said it was ‘good delegation’ on my part and that I ‘conducted myself admirably’ at the press conference.”

“That’s good mate, well done.” Harry said sincerely. “You know Draco even said he was impressed with how you handled it. He said you were good at your job.”

“He said that?” Ron said sceptically and looked half pleased, half disbelieving which was an amusing combination. 

Harry simply nodded but didn’t really elaborate. Ron was frowning and thinking. It was quiet for a moment as Ron finished his beer. Harry’s was only half drunk, he wanted to pace himself tonight.

“Right, well dinner is ready.” Hermione announced suddenly after a few moment’s silence.

“Excellent.” Ron said quickly. “Right, no talking about Draco over dinner, I want to enjoy my food.”

Harry laughed slightly but agreed. Hermione was right, Ron needed a few more beers in him before anything else was revealed. He was also more likely to be amenable after a big dinner too. They ate and chatted happily, mostly about what was going on at the Ministry. It was always work with these two. Harry fed Rose again like he often did on a Friday night. She was getting much better at doing some of it herself now though. 

After dinner Ron spent a little bit of time with Rose whilst they all chilled out in the lounge together as he would miss her bedtime tonight. Harry always loved watching Ron play with his daughter. It was still odd sometimes to think of Ron as a dad but in these moments Harry could see how good he was at it. He only hoped one day he would make a good father to his own child. 

He would consider himself lucky to have one child and wouldn’t really mind if it was a boy or a girl. Secretly though, he knew he wanted at least two and really hoped that one of them would be a girl. He could imagine Draco cuddling a little girl too, hopefully she would have blonde hair just like him. Would Draco ever want that? He thought so, he thought they wanted similar things in life but sometimes he was worried that he was wrong.

Eventually Harry and Ron said goodbye to Hermione and went outside to apparate to London. They hadn’t spoken about Draco again but Ron had enjoyed another couple of beers at home before they left and was in an even better mood now. Hopefully once Harry got him to sit down in a nice cosy pub with another pint in his hands he would be able to break the news to him.

They actually apparated onto the doorstep of Grimmauld Place just because they knew no muggles would see them that way and then they walked round the corner to Harry’s local. He hadn’t been here in about a year but it used to be one of the regulars that they visited. It was a traditional old English muggle pub, the sort that had a good atmosphere and meant you could talk quite freely in the corner without really being conspicuous but it wasn’t too busy to the point where it became crowded and overly loud.

Ron took a nice booth at the back and Harry went to the bar to buy drinks. He deliberately chose the least alcoholic lager on tap for himself but got Ron his favourite real ale and a packet of pork scratchings that he loved so much. 

First they talked more about the details of the case and Lucius. Harry even explained how the engagement with Daphne had been a plan to just get Draco’s parents off his back for a while and that they’d never actually been together. Even Ron admitted that he felt sorry for Draco having to deal with that form of fatherhood. He even went as far as to say he understood a little more now why Draco had been “a right royal prat” at school. 

Harry spoke more about how Draco had changed and what their friendship looked like. He even told Ron that Draco had written apology letters and that Hermione had found hers quite sincere and enlightening. Harry explained he wanted to talk to Ron first but that his letter was waiting for him at home in Hermione’s safe hands.

Ron was much slower to realise than Hermione but even he could pick up something from the way Harry talked about Draco.

“Merlin Harry, this is just like being back in sixth year when you wouldn’t shut up about him only this time it sounds like you’re in love with him or something!” He joked as he came back from the bar with his second pint of ale. He put another lager in front of Harry even though he hadn’t finished his first yet.

Harry didn’t say anything but flushed slightly and squirmed a little in his seat. He took a deep breath ready to admit that he was indeed in love with him but Ron was looking at him in slight shock and horror then opened his mouth before Harry had a chance to speak.

“Oh shit.” He said with wide eyes. “You fancy him don’t you? Oh mate that is tragic, no wonder you needed a night out.” Ron put his Harry round Harry wildly spilling a bit of his beer in the process. He was talking again before Harry had even thought of what to say. 

“I’m only saying this cos I’m already tipsy and I will deny it but even I can see that he’s sort of fit I guess, you know, for a bloke. It’s just cos he’s living with you too and you're seeing him all the time but not to worry though we’ll get you over this ridiculous crush. Remember that time you admitted that you found that idiot from Magical Maintenance hot? Well I cured you of that notion so we can do this too. We can sit here and list every bad trait Draco has and before you know it you’ll remember what a jerk he is. Actually that sounds like fun!” Ron declared enthusiastically.

Harry had tried to interrupt him several times but a loud slightly drunk Ron was hard to stop once he got something in his head.

“It’s not like that Ron, it’s not just a crush to get over.” Harry tried to explain. “I really do Like him. In fact I-”

But Ron cut him off again with a groan. “Oh no, this is going to be harder than I thought.” Then he frowned and seemed to remember something. “Hang on mate, er, don’t you have some secret boyfriend or something? Merlin’s bollocks that’s even worse. I’m guessing your new boyfriend doesn’t know that you have a crush on your temporary housemate?”

“No Ron that’s not-”

“Oh Harry, what would you do without me? Drink up mate we’ll sort this mess out.” Ron said nudging Harry’s glass and taking a large sip of his own.

Harry made the most of Ron’s temporary silence ignoring both of the beer glasses in front of him for a moment.

“Erm Ron, Draco _is_ my boyfriend.”

Ron stopped drinking quickly but didn’t put his glass down. He seemed to just freeze for a moment, his glass still hovering in front of his mouth. Then he put it back down on the table with a clunk and laughed hard clapping Harry on the shoulder.

“Good one man, I haven’t laughed that hard in ages.” He said after a while as his laughter subsided. He hadn’t seemed to notice the moment where Harry leaned down onto the table and rested his head on it with a slight thud.

Then Harry did take his glass and quickly downed the rest of his first drink. Ron was still chuckling to himself oblivious. When Harry sat the empty glass down on the table he turned to Ron and looked at him as serious as he could.

“I’m not joking. Draco really is my boyfriend. We’re living together, he’s not moving out. We’re officially a couple and it’s serious.” He said sincerely and rather quickly. A bit like just ripping a plaster off.

He watched as Ron stopped laughing and looked slightly confused. Then Harry saw the moment where the penny dropped and his eyes went wide again.

“Y-you and h-him… you’re not joking? You really… he is really… it-it’s… w-what?” Ron stammered out in the most inarticulate way that would rival Harry’s usual awkward stuttering.

Harry sighed and repeated himself more slowly giving Ron the time he needed to adjust. “Me and Draco, we’re a couple. It's official and it’s serious and you’ll have to get on board with it because he’s not going away any time soon or- well, _ever_ if I can help it. I know it’s a lot to take in. I get that and I’m sorry I couldn’t tell you sooner but it’s real Ron.”

Ron swore quietly and picked up his drink again gulping down half the pint in one go. When he was finished he slowly wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and turned to face Harry.

“Right OK.” He said slowly and Harry had to look closely to make sure he was still breathing as he seemed to be in shock.

“How long has this been going on then?” He asked slowly but his tone was more serious than before. 

“Erm, officially… just over a week. So it really hasn’t been that long and I did tell you that I had kissed someone before you found out about the ‘boyfriend’ thing from the paper. I really did try and tell you what I could but you know why I had to be secretive about it. Draco couldn’t afford for anyone to know we had any sort of connection until he was ready to deal with Lucius.” Harry reasoned slightly uncomfortably. 

“I bet Fred and George knew straight away right?” Ron muttered slightly bitterly.

Harry sighed. He knew Ron struggled with jealousy and Harry’s close relationship with the twins had been an issue in the past.

“Yes they did and I’m sorry about that but it was only because Draco already trusted them. You know the potions guy they’ve been working with for ages? Well that’s Draco, same guy. They’ve been on kind of friendly terms with him for about a year now and they never said a word about his identity or his business to anyone. They recommended the shop space opposite them to Draco too which he now runs so they earned his trust the hard way, over time. He doesn’t trust easily and he didn’t want anyone else to know. Besides, the twins were in the perfect position to keep an eye on the shop you gotta admit that.” Harry argued and Ron reluctantly nodded as he took it all in. 

“I didn’t tell you about Draco’s business the other day because it wasn’t relevant to the case and I wasn’t sure if he wanted people to know. He said I can tell you guys though, he said he doesn’t want to hide from friends and family anymore but it’s just not public knowledge OK?”

Ron half shrugged and nodded again but he didn’t say anything, he just sat drinking his drink. He did look slightly dejected though.

“Mate,” Harry started, knowing some damage control was in order here. “You know you’re my best friend. Your opinion means a lot to me and I’ve been really worrying about telling you. I know you and Draco haven’t exactly got along in the past but it would really mean the world to me if you could try and get on board with his. I’ve never had a boyfriend before but I know you’ve always been rooting for me to have a real relationship. Well this is it, and I’d hate it if my boyfriend and my best friend couldn’t get along.”

“You were worried about telling me?” Ron said quietly with a slightly shy smile.

“Of course I was. The reaction when you thought I was dating Blaise was bad enough.” Harry said, giving him a slightly friendly jab in the shoulder.

Ron laughed at that. “Aw man, you and a Slytherin. Hell, you and _Draco_. What is happening?”

“I know right.” Harry said playfully but then he became slightly more serious. “He’s a good man Ron and he makes me a better man too. I really do like him a lot, I think this could be it for me, you know.”

Ron raised his eyebrows slightly in surprise but not in a sceptical way. He took a deep breath and put his hand on Harry’s shoulder squeezing it slightly. “It's going to be really weird for me mate, seeing you two together, I’m not going to lie but… well I dunno, guess if he makes you happy or whatever then I could try and accept it.”

Harry grinned. It might not sound like a lot but from Ron it meant the world. He could go home to Draco tonight and tell him that everything really would be OK. He also felt hugely relieved at not having to hide anything from his best friends anymore, he actually really hadn't liked that but now he didn’t have to. 

“Cheers man.” He said genuinely and sat back happily to enjoy his drink.

“Yeah well, you’re paying for the drinks for the rest of the night.” Ron insisted. “And because I really am such a good friend for accepting this you’re taking me to that fancy new bar that just opened in Kensington but only after we visit the Lion’s head. You know that’s my favourite!”

“What fancy new bar?” He said in surprise, it wasn’t like Ron to know about these things. “I’m not going anywhere that isn't muggle.” He added.

“I dunno, the new recruits at work were talking about it. I want to show them that just cos I’m their boss I’m still young and cool. I can tell them on Monday that I went there with Harry Potter and that’s bound to impress them. It is muggle though don’t worry and they usually go on a Saturday night so we won’t see them. No one will recognise you come on. You owe me this.” Ron said persuasively.

Harry didn’t like the idea that at least some wizarding folk went there but usually they weren’t stupid enough to make a fuss of him somewhere muggle even if they did recognise him. Mostly they just stared but he was only out for a drink with Ron, so what? Besides if this is what Ron wanted to make it up to him then he could give him this.

“Fine we’ll go.” Harry said relenting and Ron cheered “pub crawl” rather loudly drawing the attention of the whole pub. 

Maybe it was time to move on.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'd love to hear what you thought of the love potion stuff and of Ron and Hermione's reactions!  
> I hope it's what you wanted!
> 
> Thanks so much to all you lovely lovely people for continuing to read this and sticking by me even though I've made you wait!  
> Next update will be at some point over the weekend, maybe Sunday morning for me (UK time).
> 
> Much love <3


	34. Draco: Friday 28th October-Saturday 29th October

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry again... feel like all I do is apologise now. I was hoping to get this chapter out yesterday but it just wasn't quite right so I needed an extra night to sit on it and ended up making some changes today. It's officially the longest chapter so far though so hope that makes up for it! :/ :S
> 
> This chapter is all about sex!  
> Don't get too excited... it's just talking about it ;)  
> I guess you've realised by now that this story is all about those long conversations between characters and I really like making all aspects of their relationships 'real'. To me that involves drunken conversations about sex with your best mate in a bar and then more serious ones with your partner!
> 
> Draco is a lot like me I've realised. I didn't intentionally write him like that but there you go!  
> He has a lot of insecurities and likes to be in control, plan ahead and know exactly what will happen so to me it's perfectly rational that he would have the type of freak outs he has here. I hope it's not too much and that you all enjoy it. I hope it fits well with the story so far too.  
> I know it's sexy and romantic when a couple just goes for it and I love reading some stories about Draco and Harry's first time together where it just happens but to me that's just not always realistic of a first time experience. Obviously for some people it is, (no judgement!) I just wanted to explore something different.  
> Like I said before, I'm not writing a porn with plot I'm writing a story about relationships, healing, over coming barriers, facing insecurities etc. So this just seemed the right way to go. 
> 
> **Warning! -Like before alcohol is mentioned quite a lot in this chapter and Draco does use it as a way to relax and stop thinking so much. He describes the way it makes him feel too so if alcohol use has been an issue for you you might not want to read it. I really hope I've done this sensitively.
> 
> I'll shut up now so you can enjoy!

Draco felt anxious after Harry left on Friday. He usually liked being in the house on his own for a bit. Not because he liked being without Harry but just because it was healthy to not spend every second of the day together and Draco had always liked time alone to think. Only today he didn’t want that. Because today he kept thinking about the conversation Harry was having at this very moment with Hermione and the conversation he would be having later with Ronald and freaking out about all the possible outcomes. 

He always liked to plan for the worst case scenario, it was in his nature, how he was raised. If you were prepared for the worst case scenarios then you could never be taken by surprise and anything other than what you imagined would be a good thing. Trouble was it had made him rather pessimistic over the years which isn’t something he wanted to be.

He knew Harry said that he wouldn’t break up with him if his friends told him to. He wanted to believe Harry, he wanted to trust him, but he just couldn’t shake the negative thoughts. He’d done so well recently at being positive, at believing he was worth something. Harry made him feel like he was worth everything. It’s just that when they were in their little ‘happy new relationship bubble’ just the two of them at home everything was fine. Now though as they were starting to tell everyone else he was just worried that the bubble would burst somehow. 

Sure, Dromeda and Teddy had taken it well but they really were Draco’s family too. The Weasleys had hated the Malfoys for generations, would they really accept Draco into their family? Ron and Hermione had more reasons than most to hate him and doubt his sincerity, surely they would try and persuade Harry he could find someone better. They were all fiercely protective of Harry and they’d all be waiting for him to find someone he could be in a relationship with, they would no doubt be disappointed and confused about his choice. 

He tried to focus on his work and did just about manage to get his second batch of owl orders out for the day, even though it took him longer than usual. After that he did something that he hadn’t done in a while. He did a full on yoga routine and then had a really long relaxing bath. Both those activities helped him from over thinking and to stay calm. Plus they filled time. Blaise had dinner plans tonight as he was occupied on Monday night for the wedding so he had to rearrange his busy social life. He assured Draco it wouldn’t be a long dinner though and they had plans to meet later for drinks. Draco now realised that meant he had longer by himself at home with his annoyingly insecure brain. Why couldn’t he really be the confident cocky person that he pretended to be?!

After his bath he got dressed in his favourite pair of light grey super skinny jeans, a slightly oversized round neck off-white top with flecks of grey and a smart navy cotton blazer that he left undone over the top. He’d never actually been to a muggle bar in London before but he thought this outfit classified as ‘smart casual’. 

Kreacher made him dinner but he wasn’t really feeling it. He had some but he mostly just picked at it as his nervous anxiety made him feel a bit queasy. He decided he may as well have some wine with dinner though as it was a Friday and Harry was probably at the pub by now. He only intended to have one glass but then he was topping up his glass before he knew it as it was helping him to relax. He kept imagining Ronald making a scene in front of the whole pub when Harry told him exactly what type of relationship he had with Draco.

At five to nine exactly he left the house to apparate to the meeting place Blaise had described to him. It was an alleyway somewhere out the way of muggles so they wouldn't see him arrive but it was two minutes walk from this fancy new bar that had just opened in Kensington. Blaise had obviously been there already even though it had only been open a couple of weeks. He assured Draco he’d like it so Draco just trusted his recommendations as always.

He met Blaise no problem and then he walked besides him to the bar. As they entered it Draco immediately realised he did in fact like it here. The ceiling was bright white with a geometric pattern and lots of cool concave dome lights. The rest of the room in contrast was quite dark made up of blacks and greys. It was very monochrome, very classy and very Blaise. The bar itself was a large triangle shape in the middle of the room with the mixologists and bartenders in the middle. The sides were made of the same bright white hexagonal pattern of the ceiling but the bar top was a glossy black. There were lots of glossy black tall bar tables dotted around which had the same bar stools as were by the bar, simple round black ones with black velvet cushioned seats. 

The room was softened by the booths on the sides of the room which were on a slightly raised platform and had black velvet cushioned seating. Each booth had a dark grey luxurious draped fabric on the wall with soft uplighting. A few of the booths were already occupied by mostly people were over by the bar. There were a moderate amount of people here. Enough for an atmosphere but it was still early for London nightlife so there was still plenty of space and it wasn’t too loud. 

Blaise walked over to the bar confidently like he belonged here. To be fair he looked like he did. He was wearing his signature colour: black, and looked good in it as always. He had black slim fit slacks and a crisp black shirt which had a large silver rose pattern on it just to break up the black slightly. Blaise could definitely pull off patterned shirts. Draco wasn’t sure if he could, he preferred the plainer ones but looking at it on Blaise made him wonder if he could be a bit more daring in his future fashion choices. 

There were no tacky drinks menus anywhere and definitely no prices, Draco knew enough about bars to know that was a sign of an expensive place. They would probably just make anything you wanted and charge you a fortune for it. Draco was determined to treat Blaise tonight for a change though and it didn’t really matter how much it cost him now that he had his Malfoy vault too. Harry had given him a load of muggle money for tonight that had come from their joint Black vault though as Draco hadn’t converted any of his personal money to muggle currency. He’d have to do that soon if they were going to be out and about more.

Blaise ordered a Hendricks gin and tonic with cucumber and then looked at Draco who panicked slightly and ordered a mojito just because it was the first cocktail that came to mind. He’d usually frequented wizarding bars in Paris and pretty much had the same thing every time but he’d never been one for excessive drinking. In fact he’d probably drunk more in these last few weeks than he had done in Paris but they’d been happy drinks, celebratory drinks with friends. He hadn’t had many of those in France. 

Mostly he was a wine guy but he did know a few muggle cocktails now and he was slowly coming to like them more and more. The mojito turned out to be a good choice, it was even nicer than the one that Harry had made. Blaise then told him that there was such a thing as a raspberry mojito which Draco was determined to try next. He would happily be one of those guys with a bright pink drink, so what? He had a sweet tooth and there was part of him that was envious of some of the brightly coloured drinks some of the muggle girls had around him with all sorts of sweet decorations on them like cherries and candy floss. The trouble was he didn’t really know what they were drinking so he couldn’t exactly ask for one.

They went over to a booth that was near the entrance. It was out of the way enough from the main bar that you could have a conversation but not secluded enough to feel completely out of the good atmosphere. Blaise chatted away about work and his entertaining dinner with a client whilst Draco drank his mojito alarmingly fast only half listening. He wondered for the millionth time how Harry was getting on and whether his friends had convinced him that Draco was bad for him next. 

Before he knew it he was back at the bar getting a raspberry mojito and another G&T for Blaise even though he was still nursing his first one. When he got back to the booth Blaise was eyeing him suspiciously.

“What’s up with you tonight?” He asked casually leaning back against the chair and swirling his first gin.

“What do you mean?” Draco replied feigning ignorance even though he knew it probably wouldn’t work with Blaise.

“You’re worried about something. It can’t just be being out. You were more relaxed than this when we went to the restaurants last month and that was when Lucius was free.” Blaise pointed out with a raised eyebrow.

Draco sighed. “I’m sorry. I know this night is supposed to be about catching up with you and it is great to see you. I just can’t get my mind off Harry. He’s telling Ronald and Hermione today, about us and I have no idea how it’s going.” Draco said flatly, taking a large gulp of his drink and already feeling quite tipsy. He hadn’t eaten much and the two glasses of wine he had plus the rum was now going to his head.

“And you’re concerned that it’s not going to go well.” Blaise said in his usual calm, controlled way. It wasn’t clear if it was a question or not.

“Of course it’s not going to go well, they hate me. Why would any of them want their precious Harry dating me?” Draco whined dramatically. 

“Will you stop hating yourself Drakey it’s getting old.” Blaise said, rolling his eyes. Then he leaned forward and put his drink on the table. He looked at Draco seriously before he spoke. “They hated you, past tense, and you hated them. It was at school years ago and you were all teenagers. You don’t hate them anymore do you?”

“Well, no I don’t.” Draco shrugged.

“Then why assume they still hate you?” Blaise said casually.

“Because- because… well just because they will! Because of who I am, what I did.” Draco said sipping on his raspberry mojito. It was delicious and it was making his brain fuzzy, maybe that was a good thing, maybe he wouldn’t over think as much.

“I don’t hate them because I can appreciate now how much they’ve done for Harry. How much he needed them. And I like Harry, I’m glad they kept him alive.” His brain supplied after a sudden moment of clarity.

“Well you’ve done a lot for Harry too this last month. He was pretty messed up right? Living for the job, no social life, drinking way too much, relying on potions to sleep. Constantly risking his life still for no reason, couldn’t control his emotions or magic. He had a pretty unhealthy relationship with his house, it didn’t feel like home to him. You’ve changed all of that. Don’t you think that Harry’s friends and family will see how happy you’ve made him and appreciate you for that?” Blaise asked far too sensibly.

“Maybe.” Draco replied unconvinced but unable to form a counter argument. “What if they don’t though? What if they don’t accept me and Harry has to choose between having me and having his family? And he- and he...”

Draco trailed oof not quite able to voice his worst fear. Blaise stared at him for a moment seemingly surprised. “You can’t honestly think that would happen.” He said after a moment shaking his head in disbelief.

It was the wrong reaction. It made Draco feel stupid for having what he thought were legitimate concerns and he didn’t like being made to feel stupid. 

“It’s a perfectly reasonable thing to worry about Blaise. What would you know? You’ve never even been in a relationship.” He snapped back somewhat harshly.

“You’re right I haven’t.” Blaise shrugged, not taking offence. “But I know people, it’s what I’m good at. Watching people, reading people, knowing how they will react to stuff, I do it everyday. Granted I don’t know the Weasleys but I know enough about them and I know Harry. I’m telling you there won’t be a choice to be made and even if there was I reckon Harry would choose you anyway and just trust that the others would come round in time. Harry makes decisions with his heart and his friends and family will know that more than anyone. If they can’t see how much he cares about you then they’re blind and they will know that if they don’t support this relationship then they risk losing Harry. They don't want to lose him so they will accept you.” 

Blaise took a sip of his drink, probably more for dramatic effect than anything else and then casually added “It’s really rather simple.”

Draco didn’t say anything for a few moments, his brain was still fuzzy and he couldn’t think straight. He was reminded then why he didn’t like too much alcohol. He picked up his drink again anyway though and slowly drank the rest through the black cocktail straw giving him time to let Blaise’s words sink in. 

With each moment that passed (or with each sip he took) he slowly felt better and gained more confidence, hmm maybe he did like alcohol after all. The thick cloud in his brain was fading now and he slowly felt like he was floating on a cloud instead. It felt like kind of liberating letting go of his anxiety. He knew he was insecure. He knew he could overthink and worry about things that weren’t even a problem. Was that what he was doing here? What was that muggle expression that Harry had used… Making a mountain out of a molehill? That sounded right. 

Hadn’t Harry told him that he wouldn’t break up with him and that it would be fine? Harry hadn’t lied to him so far. He’d proven himself worthy of Draco’s trust, as had Blaise. Blaise had ushered him gently into this relationship and Draco was pleased he’d listened to him. Maybe he should just relax and let go for once. Trust in Blaise’s words. Trust in Harry’s words. Trust that everything really would be OK.

“You really so?” He said finally after putting the now empty glass on the table. 

“Yes.” Blaise said shaking his head slightly like Draco was a fool.

“OK.” Draco said quickly and rather boldly. Maybe he was being stupid after all. He had a good thing with Harry, he knew that. He also knew that Harry really cared about him, maybe even loved him, even if he hadn’t really allowed himself to properly believe it yet. He could see it and even thought Harry had been close to telling him a couple of times. 

“OK? Just like that? You done freaking out now?” Blaise said amused. 

“I- I think so.” Draco said with a little more confidence. “I don’t want to let my insecurities get in the way of the best thing that’s ever happened to me.” He said truthfully, the rum flowing through his veins and making him feel good.

“I thought I was the best thing that had ever happened to you?” Blaise said, pretending to be hurt. 

“Yes fine. You’re the best.” Draco said, rolling his eyes. 

As he allowed himself to relax, he started to feel the good buzz of the alcohol kick in again. More people were coming into the bar now and the music was good. It was all helping to make him feel good, it was just nice to be out of the house too and have a change of scenery. 

“Blaise?” Draco said after a little while.

“Yes?” Blaise questioned with a raised eyebrow.

“Thank you. I’m sorry, I snapped at you.” he said quietly.

Blaise gave him a rare genuine soft smile. “It’s all good.” He said casually. Then his smile grew into a mischievous grin. “So now you’re nice and tipsy and relaxed you can tell me what I’m dying to know.” 

“What would that be then?” Draco said sceptically, knowing Blaise this would be leading somewhere sexual.

“What it’s like to fuck Harry Potter of course. What else?” Blaise said with a knowing smile. “Or be fucked by him. I can’t make up my mind which one of you tops, I’ve imagined it both ways so maybe you switch?” He added casually.

“You’ve imagined it?” Draco said half appalled but then also not that surprised.

“Of course I have.” Blaise said like it was perfectly normal. “You guys are both hot, so together… yeah I’ve pictured it. I wouldn’t mind an invitation to the live show.” Blaise winked.

“Well you can get that idea right out of your head. Not happening.” Draco said flatly.

“Why not? Maybe Harry has an exhibitionist kink? Oh actually does he have any kinks? I really want to know that too.” Blaise said perfectly seriously.

“Merlin I thought I was pretty tipsy but I am not drunk enough for this conversation.” Draco muttered sincerely.

“Say no more, I’m on it. It’s my round after all.” Blaise said quickly before making his way to the bar before Draco could even reply.

Draco used the time that Blaise was gone to try and gather himself but it was hard when the alcohol was dulling his senses slightly. He kept going back and forth in deciding whether being tipsy was a good thing or not. Maybe he should have asked Blaise for a glass of water instead. He couldn’t quite decide of he wanted to talk to Blaise about this or not. Certainly if he was going to talk to someone about it then Blaise was the best candidate but maybe it wasn’t needed. Maybe him and Harry would just work it out on their own. Blaise didn’t necessarily know relationships but he did know about sex, maybe he could help. Or maybe it wouldn’t be talking to Blaise that would help but maybe just drinking, chatting and having fun would. Maybe he needed to loosen up and not think for once.

So when Blaise came up with a board of shots Draco smiled to himself. That was decided then. Blaise put the board in front of Draco, there were seven fancy shot glasses on it ranging in colours. One was clear, one was black and the others were all sorts of bright colours, pink, green, yellow, red and blue. They smelt sickly sweet and the scent of aniseed was strong.

Blaise sat back down opposite him and put his martini on the table. If Draco knew Blaise it would be dry with extra olives. He raised an eyebrow at him and gestured to the shots in front of him.

“Are you trying to get me drunk?” He asked with a raised eyebrow.

“Yes absolutely.” Blaise replied with a smirk. “You need to chill out more.”

Just then a bartender came over and put a posh looking jug of iced water on the table with two glasses. Blaise thanked her whilst definitely checking her out (again), then turned back to look at Draco.

“See? I’m being sensible too. This is my last drink don’t worry. I’ll stay sober enough to make sure you get home safe so just relax and enjoy yourself for once.” Blaise said sincerely.

“You just want me to spill all my secrets.” Draco replied humorously, although he did feel better that Blaise was being sensible and would look out for him. Maybe he could allow himself to relax and just trust Blaise that he wouldn’t let anything bad happen. It was tempting. He took the black shot on the far right of the board and downed it quickly. It was thick and syrupy, it tasted like-

“Liquorice.” Draco said out loud as he put the empty shot glass back on the board.

“Yeah I know how much you like liquorice wands. They’re all Sambuca which has that basic aniseed note but they’re all different flavours.” Blaise smiled. It was true Draco did love them. “So, come on then. I ask again, what it’s like to shag Harry?”

Draco sighed and then shrugged. “I can’t say.”

Blaise frowned at him. “Come on Dray, it’s me, you can tell me. You told me about that French Harry look-alike in great detail. I just want to know if the real thing is better.”

“He wasn’t a Harry look-alike.” Draco insisted. 

He hadn’t thought about that man in ages, it was nothing really just sex. Not even mind blowing sex either just good unchanging routine sort of sex that made a difference to using his hand alone in his bedroom. Draco had topped every time of course, there had been kissing and hand jobs too but not that much in the way of foreplay. He’d received blowjobs happily but never given them and it hadn’t been anything resembling romantic when they’d been together, just physical desire. 

There hadn’t been feelings on either side Draco made sure of that but he had been one of the rare ones that Draco actually invited to the chateau. He’d usually stayed for a bit afterwards for a drink and chat. Never slept over and never talked about anything deep, anything real but a friendly conversation was nice once in a while. They were lovers on and off for about a year until he had found a boyfriend that he wanted to be exclusive with. Draco hadn’t been bothered, just wished him well and that was that.

Blaise rolled his eyes dramatically. “Please. You’re longest lover was a green eyed, black haired guy called Henri, I mean seriously?”

“His eyes were nowhere near Harry’s green though.” Draco replied thinking how dull those olive greeny/brown green eyes were compared to Harry’s sparkling emerald ones. Henri’s black hair had been really short and neat too. “Plus he was taller and he definitely didn’t have the muscles Harry’s got.”

“Yeah the guy is buff.” Blaise said approvingly. “Take it he has a six pack?”

“Oh yes.” Draco said practically drooling at the thought of his favourite abs.

“So does Harry fuck better than his french counterpart?” Blaise pushed again with a smirk.

Draco took another shot. The green one this time, hmm apple. Feeling another little buzz and a boost of confidence he actually laughed slightly and didn’t feel so bothered about the conversation topic.

“Can’t say because it hasn’t happened.” He said with a shrug.

Blaise is a hard man to shock but he actually opened his mouth slightly and took a moment to recover his surprise before answering. “Well why the hell not?”

“Just because all you care about is sex doesn’t mean everyone else thinks the same way.” Draco argued surprisingly coherently even though his voice sounded slightly drunk. “We’ve had a lot of stuff to sort out and I did say I wanted to take it slow.”

Blaise took a sip of his martini and sat back with one arm over the back of the bench. He raised his eyebrow at Draco disbelievingly. “Slow? You literally live together. Everything so far has happened pretty fast but you guys are made for each other and it’s worked out alright. You’ve been officially together for a week and a half now.”

“You say that like it’s ages.” Draco groaned, rolling his head back and looking at the elegant light hanging over their booth.

“It is ages, especially when you see each other as much as you guys do.” Blaise countered quickly. “That’s ten days worth of sex that you’ve missed out on. Don’t you guys share a bed?”

“Yes but we do actually sleep you know!” Draco said waving his hand around getting much more animated with his expressions than he normally does.

Blaise leaned forward in his seat once again giving Draco a knowing look. “You must have done something though.”

Draco actually smiled a bit at that and started to get slightly aroused at the memories, particularly the one in the shower just this morning. “Well sure.” He said with a small hint of pride. “Blow jobs and hand jobs mostly and I have to say they are pretty damn good. Better than most of the sex I have had.”

Blaise smirked slightly with satisfaction. “Now we’re getting somewhere. Rimming? Fingering?”

Draco blushed slightly which was most unlike him. He had no problems hearing about any of Blaise’s antics in great detail and usually when he had spoken of his past lovers he didn’t mind giving Blaise details either but they’d never really spoken of what Draco  _ hadn’t _ done and somehow that was more embarrassing. 

His hand reached for another shot glass, the next one in the line. Not even registering what colour it was, he brought it to his lips and chucked it back. It was sweet but a little sharp too like raspberry and the slight buzz that went to his head relaxed him. 

“No.” He said flatly.

Blaise pondered that for a moment and was looking at Draco curiously. “What’s holding you back?”

Another shot came quickly. Tropical flavour maybe, it didn’t matter. 

“I’ve never… r-rimming isn’t something I…” Draco stumbled over his words and wasn’t really sure what he was trying to say.

“You’ve never done it before? Or had it done to you?” Blaise suggested.

Draco shook his head. “Seemed too personal. You know how I am. I like sex and I’m not ashamed of my body but I always had limits, boundaries in place.”

“OK.” Blaise said slowly. “What were your limits?”

“Why do you wanna know? You’ve never asked before.” Draco replied slightly confused. That wasn’t the question he thought Blaise would ask.

“I didn’t realise they were physical to be honest. I thought you only had emotional boundaries a bit like me. Nothing more than sex, no feelings. I didn’t realise there were acts you hadn’t done.” Blaise said slowly and far too sensibly just elegantly sipping on his martini but didn’t seem affected by the alcohol at all. “Might help you to talk about it though, I mean if you want. It must be daunting now to think about sex with someone new when there are feelings involved already, I get that but you must know that Harry won’t care what you have or haven’t done.”

Draco tentatively reached out to the board in front of him again, this time he looked at it and paused slightly wondering if it was a good idea. He hesitated long enough to see there were three left. A red one, a blue one and a clear one. Not thinking about it anymore he took the blue one and in a flash it was empty. It tasted like orange but it was blue, that was odd, maybe he was more drunk than he thought.

Suddenly though he found his mouth running away with him. Probably helped by whatever that shot was. “It’s stupid I know but I feel like a bloody virgin or something again. I jus’ dunno know to have sex as part of a re-relationship. It’s only ever been a fuck for me and I’m selfish you know that, as long as I got off I didn’t much care what the other guy thought of it. Now though it’s Harry. I mean it’s fucking  _ Harry _ Blaise. He’s  _ the guy  _ and I don’t want to be shit at it. I wanna make him feel good and I know I can, but I wanna be the best he’s ever had. I mean I gave him a blowjob and that was the first time I’d ever done that. It was scary as hell especially because he’s fucking hung Blaise. His cock is just so big and thick and perfect and I- I… fuck... what was I s-saying again?”

Blaise was grinning. He poured Draco a glass of water and put it in front of him. Draco took a small sip but it wasn’t as nice as the sweet flavoured shots. Instead he reached for Blaise’s half drunk martini and tried that. He shook his head after the sip though and shoved the drink away from him, spilling some of it on the table.

“Yuck. That’s too dry.” He said screwing his nose up and taking another shot from his board without thinking about it. “Hmm cherry, that's my faaaaavoutie one.” He said, licking round the rim of the now empty shot glass shamelessly to get some more of the flavour.

Blaise raised an eyebrow at Draco’s tongue action. “Looks like you’ll be just fine with rimming Dray. Maybe use some cherry lube and you’ll be set.” 

“Oooh cherry lube. That’s an idea. Think Harry will like it?” Draco said with wide eyes thinking of the possibilities and now suddenly thinking it was a very good idea after all.

Blaise put his hand on top of Draco’s that was on the table . The action stilled Draco slightly and caused him to look at Blaise. “Draco.” Blaise said seriously, he only ever used his name like that when he was serious. “I honestly think Harry will like anything you do because it’s you.”

Blaise sat back but spoke again in an equally serious manner that was slightly hard for Draco to process in his ever increasing drunken state but he tried nonetheless. “I know I’m no expert on sex with feelings but it’s got to be even better when you’re doing it with someone that you really care about. You said it yourself, you want it to be good for Harry and this is the first time you’ve cared about your partner's satisfaction. I think therefore it’s fair to say that you’re probably putting way more effort in than you have previously and that can only be good for Harry. You just need to stop thinking about it so much. It’s still sex, still the same as what you’ve done before but you’re already doing it better because you care more about the other person. I’m sure if you really think about it everything you’ve done until now probably feels right, feels natural. Has there ever been any awkwardness?”

“A-a lit-le when I said I hadn’t given a blowjob before. I was going to jus’ do it but I freaked out cos I’m me and I stopped. But then I told ‘im and Harry said it was alright, told me to jus’ do what felt natural and told me he’d like it anyway.” Draco said very animated and probably a bit too loudly. Thankful no one here cared about this mysterious ‘Harry’ and his sex life. Harry was a common muggle name anyway, they could be talking about anyone. 

“Well then if you overcame that hurdle I don’t see how this is any different. Talk to him, tell him what you haven’t done, what you want to do, just relax and explore. He trusts you, he’ll let you and he’ll be honest with you about how it feels.” Blaise said with his sensible advice hat on. He took another sip of the small amount of drink left in his glass after Draco spilled some. Then he broke out into a flirty smile. “You should definitely let Harry rim you it feels fucking great you’ll love it and I bet Harry’s good at it. If you don’t let him then I will.”

“No you fuckin’ won’t. Stop thinking about my boyfriend's magical tongue.” Draco said back quickly. His normal possessive side came through but he didn’t quite sound like himself. Or maybe he did just a much more laid back version of himself. 

“Magical?” Blaise asked with a smirk.

“Yeah he’s fuckin’ good at blowjobs, like seriously the way he licks and sucks and… hmm, yeah s’good. He doesn’t have much of a gag reflex and he lurrrrves to swallow.” Draco was volunteering more information than he usually did and speaking like a truly drunk person now but Blaise was lapping it all up.

“You wait until he eats you out then. Seriously you should just do it, all of it. Just go for it.” Blaise said casually as if he was just discussing the weather.

Draco was quiet for a moment. He was drunk, he knew that but he could still think. He was thinking of the one other thing that was holding him back in the sex department.

“Pretty sure Harry likes to top though and I- well, no one has ever-I haven’t-” He stuttered out, words running off his tongue faster that his brain was processing them and he knew he probably sounded like an idiot but at the moment he didn’t care. He didn’t care about much at the moment and it felt good.

“You’ve never bottomed?” Blaise suggested for him.

“Nope.” Draco answered, emphasising the ‘p’ sound in a way that sounded funny to him and then he laughed at himself.

“You and Harry have talked about everything and have been pretty open and honest with each other so far. I don’t see what you can’t just talk about this too.” Blaise said sensibly again but then his tisted little smile came back. “Of course there is also another option.”

“Wot?” Draco asked and didn’t even recognise his own voice as he said it.

“Get drunk, relax and just let Harry fuck you.” He said with a wink. “Harry would never ever hurt you, Dray. He’d make it feel good for you. Maybe you should just get it over with it, you always overthink things way too much. Maybe you should just let it happen and then you won’t freak out about it. Even if it’s not amazing the first time it will be done and then you can work on making it better.”

Draco suddenly had a very strong desire to do just that. Hearing Blaise’s words sent a shiver down his spine.  _ ‘Let Harry fuck you’ ‘He’d make it feel good for you _ ’. Thing is Draco had no doubt about that. Harry oozed sex appeal and power. He had pictured fucking Harry of course. When he’d wanked off to Harry before they got together it was always Draco topping and that had been hot, he definitely did want to know what Harry felt like. But recently, being around Harry there had been plenty of times where he’d imagined it the other way round. If anything that was even hotter. 

Even though Draco had never bottomed before he’d always wanted to try it. He topped because he felt more in control that way. He knew that bottoming could hurt, especially the first time and he’d just never trusted anyone enough to let them try. He was a bit of a wimp with pain. But Blaise was right, he trusted Harry, Harry always made him feel good. Would always look after him. He was feeling so aroused from talking about it that if Harry walked in right now he’d probably let him fuck him right here on this table. 

Now that was a thought.

He reached out and got the last glass on the shot board, the clear one. It was smooth and slid easily right down his throat without even giving him much chance to taste it. Wow. That one really did do to his head. 

Yep. He was definitely drunk now. The room was spinning slightly and the buzz his brain was spreading through his body. He felt goooood.

He must have said that out loud because now Blaise was laughing and saying something back but Draco wasn’t really paying attention. He hadn’t really been focused on the people coming into the bar even though he was sitting facing the entrance, but now there was someone coming in that definitely did catch his eye. He was suddenly transported back to Paris where he would look out for guys with certain features. This guy was definitely fit, he was fucking gorgeous his a mop of jet black hair, a stubbly but neat beard and bright green eyes. 

Those eyes suddenly locked onto him and he felt his now hard cock twitch slightly in his super tight jeans. He needed to remind himself that he wasn’t single anymore. This had never happened to him, he had always been single whenever he’d been to a bar before. He couldn’t help but stare at those eyes though, eyes like that always attracted him but these eyes were special. Draco must be way more drunk than he thought because those eyes were  _ Harry’s _ eyes. In fact he really did look exactly like Harry. Draco was obviously just seeing what he wanted to see but it would be hard not to flirt with this guy as he was heading right to their booth.

He was now standing right in front of him looking at him. Draco knew he was attractive and it wouldn’t be the first time someone hit on him but he was almost looking forward to telling this guy he wasn’t available.

“Hi you.” Said the handsome stranger. His voice was like silk in Draco’s ears.

“Hey. You’re fit. You look exactly like my boyfriend and he is fucking gorgeous. I used to hit on guys like you all the time in bars but I can’t now sorry cos he’s actually with me now. I got the real deal. Obviously I got with those guys before he became my boyfriend, otherwise that would be wrong. But yeah, we’re exclusive so not going to happen with you tonight sorry. Even though I’m really horny and you’re really fit. Did I say that already?”

Draco wasn’t really processing what he was saying, it was just word vomit at this point. His body felt all nice and relaxed and when he moved it he wasn’t sure if it was really him moving. It was almost like an out of body experience but it was nice, funny, freeing.

The guy didn’t walk away though. He was still looking at Draco and then at the drinks on the table.

“Draco it’s me you idiot. Jesus, how much have you drunk?” that voice said again, it was so familiar. The guy turned and was saying something to Blaise but Draco wasn’t paying attention. He was studying this man still. He strained himself to look properly at the guys’ face, that stubble jaw and that olive skin.

“Harry!” He said very loudly, making a few people look over this way.

He tried to stand but the table was in the way and he wasn't really sure how to do it but his arms were reaching out. Somehow he managed to get out of the booth and threw his arms around Harry. He couldn’t really feel his legs supporting him but they must be.

“Hmm, Harry it is you. Smells like you. I missed you.” Draco was nuzzling into his neck smelling that signature sandalwood smell. Harry looked so good, smelt so good. He licked his neck. Hmm he even tasted good.

There was a laugh but then a hand came to wipe the neck that Draco had just licked. Draco felt good, Harry was here and he knew what he needed to do now. He didn’t want to hold back anymore. He didn’t want to feel anxious anymore. Blaise was right, it was stupid, Harry would never hurt him physically or emotionally. Sex was sex, he’d had sex with plenty of people in bars before after all and this was  _ Harry _ . It would be so much better with him and Draco wanted it so much.

He didn’t even really think his brain just acted for him and told his limbs what to do. He grabbed Harry’s hand and dragged him across the room. He felt a little resistance but he was stronger than he looked. Harry was saying something behind him but he wasn't sure what. He knew it would be fine though. He led Harry through the crowd parting people as necessarily as they went and then somehow managed to negotiate the crowds and the room enough to get the toilets. 

Not really paying any attention to what was going on around them he stumbled into the nearest stall and pulled Harry in behind him managing to slide the lock across. 

Then he pounced.

He was all over Harry everywhere at once, kissing across his jaw, nibbling at his ear, sucking on this neck. Hmm that was good, more sucking his neck. He pulled back enough to see a mark and then lapped at it with his tongue. Why had he never done that before? He left his mark on Harry and now the whole bar would know Harry was his.

Harry was laughing and half protesting but not really doing too much about it. Draco then pulled his head down to his and smashed their lips together. Grated it wasn’t the best kiss ever but kisses with Harry were never bad. Harry pulled back though and wiped his mouth with his hand. Any other time Draco would freak out about that but his confidence was sky high right now.

“Draco you taste of Sambuca, it’s disgusting.” Harry moaned but he didn’t seem too annoyed, just amused.

Draco carried on undeterred and slid his hands down to Harry’s belt. He fiddled with it but his fingers weren’t doing what he wanted them to do.

“Haaaarry.” He whined.

“Draco, slow down.” Harry laughed.

“No Harry, don’t wanna. I want you to fuck me.” Draco said desperately trying to get at Harry and leaning forward to capture his mouth again. “Come on Harry fuck me, I can take it. Will be fine. I can... I can.” 

Harry wasn’t laughing anymore though and he put his hands firmly on Draco’s chest. He wasn’t quite pushing him away but he wasn’t letting him get any closer either.

“Draco you’re really drunk.” He said sternly. Draco didn’t  _ think _ he was cross but he wasn’t sure, he seemed more… concerned maybe.

“Yeah I know. I’m more relaxed like this, not thinking too much, it’s good. It’s better this way. I want it, Harry I do. I really want it, I consent, whatever, just do it please.” He moaned, dropping his head down and feeling it hanging floppy from his neck in between them.

He felt one of Harry’s hands come up to lift his face and look at him. The other was still pressed solidly against his chest. “I’m not having sex with you drunk Draco. I thought... maybe a hand job or something but looking at you now, you’re way worse than I thought and now it feels wrong. I can’t.” His voice was soft but insistent.

Damn him. “You rejecting me.” He slurred, frustrated.

Harry pressed a kiss to Draco’s forehead but it was too gentle, too romantic, not what he wanted. “I’d never reject you my Prince. I want this so much. I want you, you have no idea-”

“Then take me.” Draco insisted.

“No Draco.” Harry’s voice cut through the stall firm and slightly scarily. When he spoke again his voice had softened but it was still insistent. “I’d never just take Draco, ever. I want us both to give ourselves to each other completely when we’re both ready. But there’s no rush, we can do it in our time. I want to do this properly, at home in bed where we can really enjoy it. I’m not having my first time with you in a bathroom stall when you’re drunk. It’s not happening.”

Harry’s voice was soothing and hypnotic to Draco. He felt his words sink in and immediately calm him. He brought his other hand up to the other side of Draco’s face though and cupped his jaw then looked straight into his eyes. “It doesn’t mean that I don’t want you though OK? Because I will always want you. I just don’t want it like this... Please Draco... please say you understand.”

Draco let his hands go slack by his slides taking them off Harry’s belt and leaned his body forward again. This time Harry opened his arms properly and welcomed him but everything was different. Draco felt his desperation ease and he felt soft and relaxed now as he melted into Harry. Harry wrapped his hand around Draco’s neck and rubbed it softly.

“Hmm understand. M’sorry.” He mumbled clutching onto Harry’s back now for dear life.

“Don’t be sorry. It’s fine. How about we get you home now yeah?” He said softly and Draco just nodded against his chest. “We can talk about this properly in the morning. I feel like you’re anxious about the sex side and I’m not sure why but we’ll work it out Draco. We’ll talk it through like we do everything else and when we do it it will be amazing I promise but there’s no hurry for anything. I’m not going anywhere.”

“Hmm OK. Home.” Draco said, suddenly feeling very tired.

Harry chuckled and pressed his lips to Draco’s temple. “What are you like, my little Prince? Did you want all the pretty coloured shots too much? All the sweet flavoured ones huh? Why am I not surprised.”

Draco felt Harry’s solid arms wrap around him and he felt so safe in them. “Blaise got them.” He said simply.

He allowed himself to be led out of the bathroom by Harry now and was only half listening to him as he spoke.

“Hmm should have known. He’s going to be in trouble when I get back out there. You didn’t really give me a chance to even say hello to him you know? And I’ve just abandoned Ron.”

“Blaise was good. I needed to talk. Was fun.” Draco managed to get out as Harry walked him back through the bar which seemed really busy now. 

There were too many people and it was too noisy. The ceiling was so bright, if that was the ceiling. The room was spinning so much that Draco wasn’t sure anymore and it was making his head hurt. He was vaguely aware of stopping by a table and Harry talking to some people there. Next thing he knew he was outside. The fresh air felt so nice. 

It was cooler out here and he felt his head clearing slowly. Then he noticed that Harry’s solid body wasn’t against him anymore. He started to panic but then he realised that he was holding hands with someone and squeezing his fingers he could still feel Harry’s touch. He looked properly and realised Harry was leaning into some car window. He’d never been in a car but he knew about the muggle invention. Why was Harry talking to this man though, did he know him?

Harry turned to him once more and was looking at him slightly worried. “Will you be OK in a taxi?” He dropped his voice lower looking around them slightly. “I haven’t had loads but I have been drinking too and I don’t want to take the risk apparating you like this. Best case scenario you’ll be sick. Worst case… well, yeah let’s just get a taxi. If you’re sick in here I’ll just have to pay the driver more but it won’t matter, come on.”

Draco just nodded not really sure what he was agreeing to and felt Harry guide him into another seat. Harry sat next to him and Draco could feel the solid body he liked so much pressed up against his side. He allowed his head to drop onto Harry’s shoulder. That was nice. He could stay like this forever. Him and Harry. That was how it was meant to me. Harry would keep him safe. 

*~*

The next thing Draco saw was the familiar white ceiling of their bedroom. Opening his eyes they felt heavy and his head was pounding. He groaned loudly, or at least it felt loud.

“You alright?” Came Harry’s familiar voice from somewhere. 

That was loud too. Draco tried to respond but his throat felt dry and nothing came out but a strange noise.

“Here got this ready for you.” Harry said, cupping the back of Draco’s head slightly and raised it then pressed a vial to his lips. 

Draco sniffed it first like he always did before accepting a potion but he knew immediately what it was and recognised it was one of his own. He opened his mouth and allowed Harry to pour it down. Swallowing it, he felt better straight away. His head cleared and his vision improved. He could now see Harry standing in front of him by the bed fully dressed. He took the empty vial from Draco and waited until Draco sat up properly in bed before passing him the glass of water he had in his other hand.

Draco took the water and started giving himself some much needed hydration whilst Harry came to sit next to him on the bed. He turned and Harry was looking at him fondly. He was smiling as he reached over to run his fingers through Draco’s hair affectionately then leaned over to kiss him a quick kiss on the forehead.

“You not annoyed with me?” Draco said finding his voice now as Harry leaned back slightly but left his hand playing gently with Draco’s hair.

“No silly, I’m not annoyed with you. I’m hardly one to judge if someone’s had too much to drink anyway.” Harry chuckled. “How much do you remember?” He said, raising his eyebrows slightly.

Draco groaned slightly embarrassed, but then he supposed he could have been worse. “I’m pretty sure I remember everything thinking about it now. I hope I do anyway. You know I’ve never actually had my own hangover potion? Blaise tested them for me but this is the first time I’ve needed one.”

Harry laughed again at that. “Doesn’t surprise me.”

“Did I make a fool of myself?” Draco asked half dreading the answer.

Harry shook his head slightly and smiled. “You weren’t that bad to be fair, you were probably at just the right level of drunk. Happy, relaxed, having fun… Just a bit louder and more animated than usual. It was funny. If you remember everything then that’s good.”

Draco frowned slightly. “Well I don’t remember getting home actually. I just remember being with you outside and trusting that if I was with you then you’d get me home safe. You were talking to some guy in one of those muggle cars though. Did you see someone you knew?”

“No, that was the taxi driver.” Harry said slightly amused. “We got the taxi home and fortunately you didn’t throw up. You just slept and then when we got to the front I just lifted you out the car once I paid the guy. Told him we were number eleven and waited until he drove off before carrying you inside to bed. You’re heavier than you look, you know.”

“Oh cheers.” Draco said pretending to be offended and then he reached over to give Harry’s bicep a squeeze feeling the strong muscles there. “Good job you’ve got these then.”

Harry just chuckled again and trailed his fingers down from Draco’s hair over the side of his face. Then he let his hand drop onto Draco’s leg resting it there over the duvet. 

“I’ve never been in a car before and now I can’t even remember my first trip because I was asleep.” Draco said casually not really sure how he felt about them. He’d probably have been nervous about getting in one if he hadn’t been drunk but it had obviously been safe enough.

“We can get one later if you want to experience it. If you’re still up for our date that is but if you’d rather just stay home then that’s fine.” Harry said slightly cautiously.

Draco had forgotten they had a date planned for today. He was so nervous yesterday thinking out-

“Oh Merlin. Ronald and Hermione!” He said quickly. Suddenly he was all too aware of what had caused him to start drinking in the first place yesterday. Then he remembered why he continued and everything he discussed with Blaise and finally he realised what day it was today. His thoughts came out as a quick succession of questions all at once.

“How did they take it? Was it all OK, are you still friend’s with them? I’m so sorry about the bathroom last night, argh, Salazar that’s embarrassing are you sure you’re not annoyed with me? It’s Saturday right? What time is it? I need to check in at the shop.”

He started to get out of bed but Harry brought his hand up to his chest and stilled him in the gentle but firm manner that only he could do. Much like he’d done in the bathroom stall last night. Draco remembered that encounter and felt thoroughly humiliated by it.

“Relax baby. Everything is fine. I’ve taken care of it and we can address those one at a time.” Harry said quickly.

Well that did it. “Baby?” He asked with a raised eyebrow, the corner of his mouth twitching up slightly.

Harry flushed and ran his hand through his hair. “Well you called me babe, for a joke I know, but I didn’t exactly  _ hate _ it and then well, I dunno ‘ _ baby’  _ just came out... In my head it was soothing.” He mumbled sheepishly.

“I, er, I don’t _ hate _ it either.” Draco replied tentatively. It was his turn to flush slightly but when Harry beamed at him everything felt right again.

Harry put his hand back on Draco’s leg and leaned in to kiss him softly on the lips but lingering slightly as he pulled back. “Ok then baby.” He spoke softly against Draco’s lips and then kissed him again.

Draco returned the kisses of course, because he loved kissing Harry but after the second one he pushed him away playfully. “Not in public though or I will kill you.” He threatened only half joking.

Harry laughed softly and sat back against the headboard but still stayed close. “So it’s around ten but don’t worry about the shop, it's all good. I floo called in just before nine for you and Daphne said she was fine to open up. We chatted briefly, she said she likes the distraction of work. Still a bit worried about her but she insisted she was fine and was definitely a bit sassier today which I took as a good sign.”

“Sounds like normal Daphne.” Draco agreed feeling a bit relieved that Harry had taken care of everything and that Daphne and the shop were OK.

“Spoke to Graham too and he’s all set to wrap up the last of your Halloween orders this morning, the ones that are being picked up from the shop this afternoon. He said he needed a box of products that you’d made here so I told him to come and get them. I didn’t want to leave you in case you woke up and figured he’d know what he was looking for more than me but yeah… guess that’s another person who knows where I lie now.” Harry said, sighing every so slightly.

“I’m sorry Harry I-”

“No it’s fine.” Harry assured him quickly. “Sorry, I shouldn’t have said it like that. It’s stupid, I trust Graham and it’s convenient that he can come back and forth from here to the shop now. It’s how you split your business after all and you work with him. It makes sense and it was my choice don’t worry. As long as you’re fine with it?”

“Of course, I was only tense about security because of Lucius but now it’s fine. Opening the floo wouldn’t bother me. I was thinking about doing it at the shop for Daphne mostly just so she can come and go a bit easier but might be good for Graham too to have a working floo in the flat.” Draco said honestly. “Here though is your choice, either way is fine by me I’m just saying you don’t need to worry on my behalf about giving the address to people.”

“Ok then.” Harry said slowly. “We can talk about the floo here another time. I’m still not sure about it but yeah… maybe. The shop though is your choice. Well, yours Daphne’s and Graham’s I guess but yeah it’s probably fine.”

“Thank you Harry.” Draco said sincerely, finding Harry’s hand and intertwining their fingers. “Thank you for thinking about the shop for me this morning and taking care of it all.”

“Of course.” Harry said simply, smiling at him. “So next question.” He said chuckling slightly. “Ron and Hermione were amazing about it, Draco. It’s really fine, you don’t need to worry so much you know.”

Draco felt a weight lift off his chest that he didn’t even know had been there but suddenly he felt like he could breathe so much better. “They- they really are OK with it? With us?”

“Yes they were. I told you it would be fine and it is. You need to trust me more.” Harry said half jokingly but Draco felt the weight of those words. He’d freaked out for nothing again, Blaise had been right, Harry had been right.

“I know Harry, I’m sorry. I don’t know why I get too anxious and insecure about things. I just overthink everything and I always go to the worst case scenario.” He sighed. He didn’t want to be like this anymore. He wanted to be positive, to trust things would be OK more, to be more optimistic about life he just didn’t know how. Life was good, this was good. Harry was good.

“Hey.” Harry said softly, breaking him out of his thoughts. He’d been staring at the wall but he turned to Harry once more. He found him smiling softly at him again, there was so much care there but there was concern too. “Is that why you got drunk last night? Were you freaking out about what was going on with Ron and Hermione’s reaction?”

Draco nodded slowly. “That was part of it, yeah. The shots were something else.” He said with a tiny laugh. “I’ll tell you about that in a bit. We need to have that conversation too, the one about me dragging you to the toilets… Anyway yeah that started it. I was here by myself just killing time before meeting Blaise and I kept thinking about them convincing you I was no good for you or something so I opened the wine and I hadn’t had much to eat either. Probably foolish of me.”

“Merlin, wine then cocktails then shots on an empty stomach when you’re not really used to drinking. Yeah, that will do it.” Harry joked but Draco could still see the worry in his eyes. 

“I know I'm an insecure idiot and I shouldn’t have worried about it as much as I did. I’m working on it.” Draco said seriously.

“It’s fine Draco.” Harry insisted but softly running his thumb over the back of Draco’s hand. “We both have stuff to work on, we knew that coming into this but I’m sorry too. I knew you were worried but I guess I didn’t realise how much. After I talked to Hermione I remember thinking that I was looking forward to coming home and telling you it would all be fine but maybe I should have given you a quick floo call then before Ron came home. There would have been time and it would have stopped you worrying so much, I just didn’t think about it.”

Draco nodded. “Yeah that would have been good actually but I didn’t think about it either and maybe I wasn’t completely honest with you about how much I was worrying about it.”

“In the future we’ll both do better, OK?” Harry said in his best soothing voice, keeping Draco grounded and calm with his touch.

Draco nodded again and leaned into Harry’s chest. Harry wrapped both his arms around him and held him for a moment rubbing his back slightly and kissing the top of his head.

“I was actually thinking about getting you a phone actually whilst I was in the pub last night.” Harry said after a while. “Hermione gave me one years ago but I don’t use it much.”

Draco sat himself up and turned towards Harry. “Is that one of those weird little rectangle things that Muggles hold to their ear and speak to people on?”

“Yes but you can also send text messages on them. Just little electronic notes you know?” Harry tried to explain. “I was thinking last night at the pub that it would have been nice to send you a little message to ask how your evening was going. I didn’t know if I was just being pathetic or not but I- well I missed you. I dismissed it because I didn’t want you to think we couldn’t survive a separate night out together without talking but… Well I guess I could have texted you to tell you that it was going well and you wouldn’t have worried so much or something? I, erm, I think communication is something we both need so yeah, maybe it would be worth having one.”

“You missed me.” Draco said smiling. It was the most important thing he took away from that and it warmed his heart. “You’re such a sap.” He teased.

“You saying you didn’t miss me at all?” Harry asked sceptically with a cheeky smile. “It was like the third thing you said to me last night. After you told me how hot I was and how you used to pick up guys who looked just like me at bars but you couldn’t have  _ ‘me’ _ because you had  _ ‘the real deal now’ _ .”

Draco flushed and buried his head in his hands. Above him Harry was laughing.

“Did I really say that?” He mumbled into his hands.

“Yes very loudly too. And you practically shouted that you were horny and then dragged me to a bathroom stall. I thought you said you remembered?”

He heard the amusement in Harry’s voice and forced himself to look back at him. “I remembered what happened, just not exactly what I said I guess. Oh well at least it was only Blaise, he won’t judge me. I don’t really care who else heard.” He said trying to shrug off his embarrassment.

“Not even Ron?” Harry asked with a wicked grin on his face.

Draco could practically feel the colour draining from his face. He tried to picture the scene from the night before, he could see Harry, the bar, Blaise, the empty glasses on the table… “He- he wasn’t there?” He meant it like a statement but it came out as more of a question.

“Errr, yeah... he was. He was literally standing right next to me, we came into the bar together.” Harry said in a half amused, half guilty tone.

Oh that was just fucking great. Draco groaned again and flopped forward to bury his head in Harry’s lap now. He mumbled words about how he could never face Ron ever again and he was never drinking ever again but he wasn't even sure if Harry could hear him. It seemed like he could though as when Draco eventually dragged himself back up Harry spoke kindly to him.

“Seriously don’t even worry about it. I actually think you did yourself a favour.” He said whilst rubbing a circle on Draco’s back.

“How?” He asked Harry failing to see what good could possibly come from this.

Harry’s shoulders raised in that little endearing way he did and the corner of his mouth turned up slightly. “Made you more human.” He said casually.

“Because Ronald sees me as emotionless… erm, what are they called, those muggle machine things?”

“Robot.” Harry supplied. “And yeah, kind of. Ron wants to see that you’ve changed and well…. You showed him something he didn’t expect at least. You getting drunk and looking like a bit of a fool… yeah he’ll love that. Instantly makes him like you and relax around more I reckon. Plus when we got back from the bathroom, Blaise and Ron were actually having a drink together and talking. I told Ron he could come back and sleep in the spare room or apparate from mine but he said he was having fun so… yeah maybe they’ll be mates now.”

“Really? Blaise and Ron getting along… I’d like to have seen that.” Draco said seriously. 

He was surprised at that outcome but he couldn’t argue that Harry might have a point. Even though he was mortified about giving Ron some material to tease him about, if it helped him to see Draco in a different light then that could be a good thing in the long run.

“I have a feeling there will be another opportunity.” Harry said seriously with a soft smile. He returned his hand to the side of Draco’s face and trailed his thumb over Draco’s smooth but chiselled jaw. “I told you, everything will be fine you know. Ron and Hermione have accepted us and I’m sure we can all hang out sometime. Us together as a couple, your friends, my friends… will be nice.” 

He didn’t wait for Draco to reply before he leaned in and gave him a soft kiss on the lips. He meant it was a quick one but as he pulled away Draco gently grabbed the back of his head and pressed himself forwards back against Harry’s lips. He tried to put everything into that kiss, all his gratitude towards Harry and all the hope he suddenly felt about their future together. 

It felt like that kiss went on for a while, it was a damn good kiss, but eventually Draco pulled back slightly aware that he hadn’t brushed his teeth yet. Although Harry didn’t seem to mind. He kept his hand on the back of Harry’s head, fingers entangled in his hair, and he pressed his forehead against Harry’s.

“I know I don’t always say what I’m feeling but I-” He took a deep breath feeling a brief moment of vulnerability but pushed it aside and carried on. It was easier to talk to Harry when he was close to him but not quite looking in his eyes. “I’m so grateful to you. You’re absolutely amazing and I- I’m so lucky to have you. Us together as a real couple, I was scared by it, you know that but you’ve just made me feel like it’s actually pretty damn exciting too.”

Harry though seemed to like looking into Draco’s eyes and he pulled their faces away enough to do so now. “It is exciting baby.” He said with a grin.

He made Draco laugh just like he intended but it immediately relaxed him. Harry always knew what he needed. He gave his arm a playful slap. “Seriously with the baby? Just because I said I didn’t hate it doesn’t mean you can use it all the time.”

“Made you smile.” Harry said proudly.

“You always make me smile.” Draco said quietly.

“Who's the sap now?” Harry said, poking his leg repeatedly.

“Yes, all right, all right. I have feelings, I'll admit it.” He said holding his hands up in surrender.

Harry took the opportunity to tickle him mercilessly. Draco cured him in between breaths and resorted to tackling Harry. He was sensitive and ticklish and he hated how Harry knew that now… except he didn’t really hate it of course. They were laughing and rolling out like children on the bed in no time. It was stupid but it was fun and everyone needed childish fun in their lives every now and then. Draco hadn’t had that before Harry came along.

When they eventually stopped, separated themselves and managed to breathe again, they came back to being sensible. 

“So do you need to work today?” Harry asked him.

“I don’t think so.” Draco replied. “If Graham’s getting the last of the orders done then it should be fine. I’ll swing by the shop myself around lunchtime just to check everything and see if he needs a hand but there’s nothing I need to do here really. I might give myself a day off.”

“Hmm good. Do that.” Harry said nuzzling into Draco’s neck. “Take some time for yourself and then we can have some time too.” Harry paused and looked slightly uncomfortable and ruffled his hair. “I’d still like to talk… properly, you know erm, about last night, I think there was a bit more to your drunken freak about. I- erm, I get the impression that you’re worried about sex or something and I think we should talk about it properly.”

“Yeah we should.” Draco reluctantly agreed.

“Well, er, I don’t ever want to pressure you so it doesn’t have to be today. I’ll wait until you want to but erm, well at the same time it might be nice to talk and clear the air before our date maybe… I just want to really enjoy it.” Harry spoke honestly but still somewhat awkwardly.

“Yeah, I agree that would be good.” Draco sighed. “Not right now though. Let’s just get some breakfast and some coffee, I need coffee. Then I might take a nice long bath. I’d- well I’d just like some time by myself for a bit if that’s OK. Then I’ll call by the shop and after that I’m yours I promise. All afternoon and evening I’m yours. We can talk, we can do whatever you want.”

“Yeah, that sounds like a good plan.” Harry leaned over to press a gentle kiss to his forehead. “Thank you.” Draco said softly hoping Harry knew everything he was thanking him for. He had a feeling he did.

*~*

Breakfast was nice, coffee was even better. Draco was listening to Harry give the full version of what Ron and Hermione had said. It sounded like they still needed convincing about their relationship but that they were willing to support Harry and give Draco a chance which is all he wanted. It was better than he could have hoped for, he knew it wouldn’t be easy. Sometimes he had a hard job of convincing himself that he was worthy of being with Harry but he knew that he made Harry happy. Even if his self-worth and insecurities still plagued him sometimes he could see that he had helped Harry and they’d both made their lives better by being together. He’d show everyone else that. He’d prove to them he was good for Harry.

The bath was nice too. Harry had suggested he use the radio so he could listen to music in the bath which was a nice idea. It was already on the classical station as that’s what Harry used to listen to at night but since he’d been sleeping with Draco by his side he hadn’t needed it. He still used his pillow sprays and Draco found that he liked them too but he was proud of the fact that Harry was sleeping better now than he had done in his whole life really. Draco made that happen. That was an example of how he was good for Harry if nothing else.

He stayed in the bath for about an hour. It was amazing, with candles, classical music, bath salts… just what he needed. He felt so relaxed now after a day of worry yesterday. He knew he’d been a fool now to worry that much. He was getting there slowly but he could see now that things wouldn’t always turn out in the worst way, he was trying to be more optimistic. Harry made him more optimistic.

He was feeling a bit stupid for all the worrying he’d done about sex too. At the end of the day it was just sex. He knew why he’d been worried, he could think about it clearly now and understand it better. Blaise was right though, not when he said about getting drunk and just ‘letting Harry fuck him’. That advice hadn’t worked out too well. But when he said that him and Harry had been open and honest with each other so far and they could talk about this too. 

Also, he had been worried about the first blowjob too and that hadn't been necessary. Now he felt confident with giving Harry blowjobs, he knew just what he liked and how to get him to make those throaty little moans. Harry wasn't particularly vocal but Draco could always get him to moan his name and it felt so good when Harry did that. He was a fast learner and he had always been able to get a reaction from Harry. Sex was no different, even if it would be a different type of sex than he was used to. He wanted it to be different though. This was Harry, this was a relationship, it should be different but different didn’t mean something he needed to be afraid of.

After his bath and his mini epiphany he felt ten times better about everything. A good bath always did that. He checked in at the shop around midday. Graham impressed him yet again, he’d been working hard and got everything all wrapped up and ready to be picked up that afternoon. Draco didn’t really have a whole lot left for him to do so he told him to just take it easy this afternoon. He suggested to him about shadowing Daphne a bit on the shopfloor. He knew customer interaction wasn’t his strength but he was still very polite just a bit… stiff and shy. Still, he knew the products well by now and if he knew how to do the books properly at the till Draco was confident he could ask him to run the shop floor in an emergency. 

Of course Draco could do it himself as Pierre too if needed so they had options if Daphne ever couldn’t make it into work again. He was still thinking to the future and was considering if he could open the shop on Wednesdays at some point too. He was a control freak but he was also selfish and liked having time at home with Harry. He wanted to get the balance right between running the business effectively and also trusting others to take care of it when he wanted time off. 

Although Daphne insisted she liked working five days a week, Draco did wonder how long she would want to work this much for. He still hadn’t raised her salary but he could afford it now and he knew he needed to. He would make sure to go into Gringotts on Wednesday to sort out all his accounts and transfer some funds from his Malfoy account to the business one. Plus he needed to change the name on that account unless that had already been done… The goblins were smart; they might be one step ahead of him. Guess he’d find out.

He spoke to Graham about hiring him properly with a contract and a salary now that he could. He felt bad that Graham was doing so much more than they originally agreed now and he liked to do things by the book. Graham was thrilled especially when Draco said he could keep living in the flat for free. He checked in with Daphne too. She looked a little pale and tired. She still seemed a bit stressed about something but Harry was right, she was sassy today and was acting happier. 

The trouble was Draco couldn’t quite decide if it was an act or not. He would see how she was at the wedding and after he supposed, if she didn’t get back to her normal self after Monday then he would really start to worry and they’d have to talk. Draco made sure she was happy to look up the shop tonight and keep it secure with a note to see that it would be closed on Monday. It did make him feel better that Graham was living here too though and could keep an eye on the place.

After both of his employees had finished their lunch breaks, he left them to their work and fully relaxed now knowing that he had a proper afternoon off work. Plus he had his first official date later with Harry and he was very much looking forward to it. He wondered where they would go, probably just out to a muggle restaurant he assumed but that would still be nice. They’d never done that, just the two of them and he would be able to hold Harry’s hand across the table in public. Not something he’d ever done with anyone and the thought made him happy. Merlin, Harry was right, he really was becoming a sap.

Having had a full cooked breakfast mid morning, neither Harry or Draco were hungry enough to have lunch themselves but Draco said he was ready to talk so Harry made them both their usual lattes and they sat on the sofa together as they had done so many times.

They both took a couple of sips of their drinks before anyone spoke. Harry seemed to be waiting for Draco to lead this discussion and he supposed that was fair. Harry had known something was going on in Draco’s head but he had never pushed him, never put pressure on him. He was always there just waiting, ready for whenever Draco was ready for whatever Draco needed. He really was the perfect boyfriend.

“So...” Draco started slowly, Harry ran his thumb softly over the back of Draco’s hand in encouragement. “You were right. I have been worrying about sex. It’s really stupid I know-”

“It’s not stupid Draco. I’m worrying about it too, maybe not as much as you but I think I understand some of your nerves.” Harry said softly.

“You- you’ve been worrying too?” Draco asked quietly, that was unexpected.

“Yeah of course. I mean, it’s not like we don’t know what we’re doing but this is different. I’ve only ever had first time sex with anyone drunk really. Before Fred half drunk sex was all I knew really and my first time with him was no different. Like you said last night, you don’t worry about it then with the alcohol in your system but you know I’ve used alcohol as a way to not feel things so much and I just don’t want that for our first time. I think it’s only natural that we both care more about this particular first time. We l- like each other, we want it to be good but we don’t need to put any pressure on it. I’m fairly certain it will be good. Everything we’ve done so far has been amazing Draco and this won’t be any different. We just do what feels right, tell each other the truth about what we want, how we feel…” Harry trailed off looking down at Draco’s hand and playing with his fingers with his own.

Harry at least did understand some of it. It felt good to acknowledge that they were both kind of nervous about this. Maybe all new couples went through this, maybe it was normal. Daphne and George would probably feel the same. Learning someone’s body and what they liked, what they didn’t like, how to move together, it was exciting but yes it was a bit nerve wracking. 

Draco wasn’t even sure if Daphne had ever been with anyone else before. They’d never talked about it but he remembered that mortifyingly awkward with dinner conversation when Lucius had asked Daphne if she was ‘pure’. Draco had wanted to punch his father and to bury his head in embarrassment all at the same time. No one else had acted like it was an abnormal thing to ask though because of course in pure-blood engagements it wasn’t. She had played the part perfectly blushing just enough and saying a quiet but clear yes. It had certainly convinced his father but Draco had never asked if it was true. If it was true then she’s probably worrying about sex with her new boyfriend just as much as he was, probably even more. 

Figuring out and talking about sex was clearly just an important part of a relationship like any other aspect. Thinking that other couples likely went through the same thing did make Draco feel better and somehow after that it was much easier to talk about.

“That is part of it.” Draco agreed with Harry after a while. “I guess I have been putting too much pressure on our first time, wanting it to be perfect.”

“Yeah of course. Like I said, I have a bit too and I think that’s very normal.” Harry reasoned. “But you do realise that even if it's not that’s OK right? I’m not going to suddenly leave you or something. Even if it’s awkward and not quite mind-blowing the first time it doesn't really matter. Just an excuse to keep trying until it is.” He said with a slight smirk and a twinkle in his eye that made Draco immediately relax and even laugh a little.

“Yes I suppose you’re right of course. I’m sorry.” Draco said smiling.

“Never be sorry. It’s all alright.” Harry said, taking Draco’s hand properly in his and bringing it up to his mouth to give his knuckles a light kiss. “So was that it or was there something else worrying you?”

Draco sighed slightly but he’d thought about it and he knew talking about this now would be better than just awkwardly trying to work it out in the moment. He liked to go into things with a plan and yes maybe it was ‘sexier’ to just be spontaneous but holding back because he was anxious wouldn’t be sexy. Going in fully prepared and talking about things properly would be better for both of them.

“I was also worrying about how exactly it would be. I’ve never bottomed before and I got the impression that you were a top.” Draco said honestly and without a shred of embarrassment. Talking about the mechanics of sex never bothered him. Talking about feelings bothered him and admitting vulnerability but even then he was getting so much better at that.

“Ah right, yeah, shit of course. Sorry, I erm, well I guess I thought we’d just figure it out in the moment but yeah… probably not the best move erm, yeah, that’s cool we can talk about that.” Harry stumbled slightly and blushed. 

He was cute when he was embarrassed. It was funny really that Harry could sit there and talk about how they can communicate openly about sex but then start blushing as soon as anything remotely practical was actually mentioned. He was definitely more of a ‘spontaneous see what happened in the moment type’.

“Sorry, you know how I like to feel like I’m in control. I just- well I just think maybe it’s something we should discuss I… argh.” He was now beginning to wonder if he sounded like an absolute idiot. He just wasn’t quite sure how to express himself and maybe other guys didn’t need to communicate this? Maybe they did just figure it out in the moment or at least not make such a big deal out of it.

“No don’t be sorry. It’s good. If this is something you’ve been worrying about then we absolutely should talk about it.” Harry replied quickly feeling more confident about the discussion. “I have mostly topped and yes it probably is what I naturally prefer but I have switched and-” Harry stopped for a moment and shuffled closer to Draco. He placed his hand on the side of Draco’s face and then ran his fingers through his hair to cup the back on his neck.

“That’s what you were really worried about.” He stated softly. “You thought you’d have to do something you’d never done before and weren’t entirely comfortable with just because of my preference? You know I’d never ask you to do that Draco. I was just going to ask you which way you wanted it in the moment and I’d do whatever, I really don’t mind.”

“Oh… really? Well now I do feel like a fool.” It had never occurred to him that Harry would switch just for him. That he would put Draco’s preference before his own but then this was Harry, of course he was.

“You’re not a fool Draco. I get it. You’re my little worrier and you’re cute when you worry.” Harry chuckled affectionately and rubbed the base of Draco’s neck with his thumb. “It will all be fine I told you and I’ll keep telling you until you believe it.”

Draco smiled instinctively, completely forgetting to moan about the fact that Harry called him  _ cute _ . He wasn’t quite sure what to say but Harry stopped him from responding anyway when he leaned right into him and whispered in his ear seductively.

“Sex with you is going to be amazing whichever way. I don’t care how or when or where I just want you.” He nibbled Draco’s ear and kissed down his neck. “Just want you… always.” He added softly as he kissed his way across Draco’s jaw to his lips.

“Hmm Harry I want you too. I’m sorry, I know I'm an idiot for worrying. Of course it’s going to be amazing because it’s you.” He mumbled against Harry as they kissed. “It’s us.”

“Yes it’s us.” Harry agreed and then put a stop to any further talking by capturing Draco’s mouth completely and then they were really kissing. Kissing like their life depended on it full of passion, of desire, of… well there were a lot of feelings there that was certain.

Draco was the first to pull back and as he did so he just whispered two short but very important words. “Thank you… I- I...” He felt so much in that moment that he wasn’t sure how to put it into words.

“Draco.” Harry said softly as they separated and looked at each other. “There’s nothing we can’t talk about you know and there's nothing I wouldn’t do for you. You mean everything to me and I- I.. Well, this relationship is so important to me. I know we’re both kind of new at this and I get the anxiety, I really do but please try not to worry so much. I feel like you always think of the worst case scenario like I’m going to leave you if things get slightly difficult or whatever and I need you to get it in your head that it's not going to happen. I’m not going to leave you, not ever if I can help it but certainly not without a damn good fight.” 

Draco closed his eyes for the moment and replayed those words in his head. He made sure he really listened to them, really took them in. Everything in the way Harry said it told him how much he meant and Draco knew he did. He really knew it now. He trusted him and his words. He trusted in this, in  _ them _ now more than ever. The last twenty four hours had taught him that. It had taught him that he didn’t need to worry so much. That he could just relax a bit and enjoy this for what it was. The best and most exciting thing that had ever happened to him.

“I am beginning to realise that mon petit héro.” He said affectionately with the biggest brightest smile he’d had in ages. 

He left another weight that he’d been carrying around lift off his shoulders. Slowly as each day passed with Harry he was getting rid of more and more baggage from his past. More and more stupid insecurities. Now he was starting to really live.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Shout out to Mia_reads who obviously knew Harry and Ron would end up at the same bar!  
> Probably not quite what you expected though?!!  
> Sorry we didn't get to see Harry, Draco, Ron and Blaise all chat together but there will be time for that!
> 
> If anyone wants to see inspiration for the bar or the shirt that Blaise was wearing as well as a few other pictures then you can see them on my Pinterest board for this story here: https://www.pinterest.co.uk/hufflepuffromantic/sharing-the-story-drarry-fic/
> 
> As always I'd love to hear what you think please!  
> Your comments motivate me and inspire me!  
> Next chapter is finally going to be Harry and Draco's first date. What do you think they're going to do?!  
> I have the second part planned in great detail and I'm excited about it. I wonder if anyone will guess right.  
> The first part could still be changed if anyone has any amazing ideas?! Or I can use them for their second date maybe!
> 
> Thanks for reading!


	35. Harry: Saturday 29th October

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Date time! :D  
> Fluff, fluff and more fluff!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is dedicated to: Ruthann Breitwisch  
> Thank you so much for taking the time to comment on all my chapters. I love reading them and it's nice to know how invested you are in my stories. You're words are so encouraging!  
> You're not going to get the Paris date you wanted here (sorry!) but I have explained that in the chapter really and hopefully you understand why I didn't go that route!
> 
> So this chapter is basically just pure fluff! I'm not sorry! I couldn't help myself! xD  
> Sooooo much cheesy over the top romance too!  
> There is plot though, some important character development as Harry and Draco pass another milestone in their relationship and they even talk about the book! (Remember the book... the whole premise of this story?!)
> 
> Spoiler alert for The Lord of the Rings: the Two Towers film if you haven't seen it. (Watch it!!)  
> If you're not a Lord of the Rings fan then I'm sorry. You can skip those bits if you don't get the references and just read the end. It's mostly just fluff but for those who do know the story then I guess I've used the plot to prompt certain conversations and emotions in Harry and Draco.

Harry couldn’t help but watch Draco as he slept, he was just so beautiful. He often thought so but he didn’t always have a moment to really appreciate it. He smiled in amusement again at his cute silly boyfriend. He really was such a worrier. Harry had known that of course but he hadn’t realised how anxious and insecure Draco really was underneath it all. The poor man had tired himself out worrying so much and then having so many deep conversations. 

Harry wanted him to really enjoy their date later so when Draco had gone all quiet cuddling into him Harry had gently laid him back down on the sofa and stroked his forehead until he fell asleep. Hangover positions were a marvellous thing, especially Draco’s but Harry knew from experience that a night out could be exhausting regardless.

Part of Harry wanted to be cross with Blaise for buying Draco those shots when the likelihood he’d been pretty tipsy before them. However, he couldn’t deny that Blaise had stayed sober enough to look after him and he was sure he would have brought Draco home in one piece. Maybe it had been exactly what Draco needed, maybe Blaise knew that. He was a good friend to Draco, Harry knew that so he couldn’t bring himself to be annoyed at all at Blaise or at Draco. It was all just a bit of fun after all, no harm done, and it had been a  _ little _ funny to see Draco like that.

Harry knew that Draco had been holding back and truthfully he hadn’t been sure how to get him to open up. He thought that Draco would just tell him in time but he supposed he should have seen something like last night coming. He wasn’t entirely opposed to having sex with Draco in a bathroom stall at a bar but not for their first time and definitely not when Draco was that drunk. Maybe that was something they could do in the future once their relationship was a bit more established, something to add to the bucket list.

He ought to get some writing done while Draco napped but he couldn’t quite bring himself to leave him. In the end he asked Kreacher to bring him some parchment paper and a quill so he could work down here. He gently wriggled out from under Draco and carefully laid his long elegant legs across the sofa. Then he sat himself on the floor by Draco’s head and lent on the coffee table to scribble down the next section of the book. He didn’t really write the details, just made a list of everything he needed to include in the last third of the book and roughly planned out the chapters..

About an hour later, he’d made good progress when Kreacher came back into the lounge with a letter from Luna. He had just finished reading it when he heard a little mumble behind him and then felt a hand gently run through his hair. He turned round to find Draco looking at him having just woken up.

“Hello gorgeous.” He said with a smile, taking the hand that had been in his hair and pulling it down to his mouth to give it a gentle kiss.

“Mmm, hi.” Draco said, still half asleep. Then he blinked rapidly a few times and stretched. “I fell asleep?”

“Yes you did.” Harry chuckled. “You called me something in french, hero I think? Then mumbled something about feeling lighter as we cuddled and then you fell asleep on my shoulder.”

“Well that’s embarrassing.” Draco yawned before propping himself up slightly with cushions.

Harry shrugged. “Not really.” Then he broke out into a bit of a grin. “It was cute.”

“Stop calling me cute. I am not cute.” Draco grumbling in an ironically cute way.

“You love it really.” Harry replied, smiling and prodding his leg. Draco just swore at him. “Aww has my little Prince woken up grumpy? Do you need to go back to bed?”

That did make Draco smile. “No it’s alright. I’m OK.” He said sitting up properly this time. “Who was the letter from that you were reading?”

“Oh it was from Luna.” Harry got the letter from the coffee table and passed it to Draco so he could read it for himself but gave a brief explanation out loud anyway. 

“She’s had the time to review all the chapters we gave her this far. I also sent her your chapters and the notes from Bill and Arthur. She seems pretty pleased with it all so far and says it makes a really good book. She’s made a few suggestions but says ultimately it’s up to us so we can review them together. She happily agreed to add her own chapter to the story too, said she’d get Neville to write one too and add them in. I’ll write to the others and get them to send their chapters directly to Luna. I trust them and I trust her.”

Draco half listened to him as he scanned through the letter himself. He was a much quicker reader than Harry. “You sent her the chapter about me getting my mark too.”

“I did.” Harry confirmed half smiling but trying to read how Draco felt about it all. He knew that had been a big moment for him.

Draco was still looking at the page when he spoke with a slightly cracked voice. “She said my chapter was  _ ‘beautifully enlightening’ _ and that my head must have been… free of wrackspurts when I wrote it.” He then looked at Harry and gave him a slightly puzzling look.

“That’s a compliment. Wrackspurts supposedly make your head fuzzy or something… I dunno.” Harry explained, slightly amused. Then he hoisted himself up onto the sofa with Draco and placed a hand on his knee. “She also called you brave.” He said gently.

Draco looked back at the letter blank as if he couldn’t really believe it and needed to double check for himself. “Yes… yes she did.” He said quietly.

“Because you are brave Draco. Amazingly brave.” Harry insisted on giving Draco’s leg a little squeeze. “Writing the truth for the world, sharing what happened to you and who you are… I’m so proud of you.”

“I couldn’t do it without you.” Draco said sincerely looking back up at Harry. “You make me brave.”

Harry didn’t verbally respond to that, he wasn’t quite sure how he could. He just kissed Draco’s temple softly. His emotions were definitely going to get the better of him today he could feel it and if he didn’t tell Draco how much he loved him soon then he would probably burst. Somehow, after this morning though he felt much more confident in the fact that Draco would want to hear it, maybe he  _ needed _ to hear it. Draco had so much self-doubt and so little self-worth, Harry needed to tell him that he was so capable of being loved, that he _ was _ loved. Harry needed his boyfriend to really understand that this was serious, that Harry wasn’t leaving him.

Harry was snapped out of his thoughts by Draco’s voice again. “What time are we leaving for this date then?”

Harry looked at his watch, the one the Weasley’s got him for his seventeenth birthday that he still treasured. “In about an hour.”

“And you’re still not telling me what we’re doing?” Draco half asked, half moaned. 

“Nope, it’s a surprise.” Harry replied with a smile.

“I hate surprises.” Draco grumbled back with a scowl.

“I know you  _ said  _ that.” Harry started. “But I don’t think you really  _ meant _ it. I think surprises for you have always been bad and you associate them with being caught unprepared or something… well I want to show you that surprises can be good too.”

Draco gave him a bit of a look where he wasn’t quite sure what to make of Harry’s words so Harry continued trying to convince him.

“OK so I’ll tell you a couple of things, we can compromise.” Harry said seriously. “I didn’t want to overwhelm you with some massive big romantic date, I know you don’t like things being sprung upon you like that. We’re not leaving the country, we’re not even leaving London for the first part, and it will just be us. Just time alone together but out somewhere rather than being in the house all the time. It’s pretty simple really, nothing adventurous, nothing daring, just dinner and a film but just both with a bit of a twist.”

Draco thought about his words for a moment but then seemed to just latch onto one thing in particular with a bit of a mock sulky look. “So the date  _ won’t _ be romantic? Is that what you’re saying?”

“No- I mean yes it will, well I hope so anyway. I just meant it won’t be some massive over the top affair or anything. Not that you don’t deserve that or I didn’t want to I just-”

“Relax Harry.” Draco interrupted him with the corner of his lips twitching up slightly. “You’re the one who is cute, especially when you’re rambling and nervous like that. I do appreciate not being overwhelmed but I’m sure I’ll like anything you have organised. Dinner and a film sounds nice, even if there is a...  _ twist _ .”

Harry chuckled to himself and relaxed. He wasn’t worried, he knew it would be fine, he knew Draco would like it. Even though this was the first proper date he’d ever planned, he surprisingly wasn’t feeling anxious about it.

Draco smiled properly now looking relaxed and even a little bit excited but then he frowned as a thought crossed his mind. “How am I supposed to know what to wear though? What are you wearing?”

“Nothing super fancy, I’ll probably just keep these jeans on but just swap this for a shirt.” Harry replied tugging on the polo neck jumper he was wearing.

“I’ve never seen you wear a polo neck jumper before.” Draco stated casually. “It’s nice.”

“Yes well it was a necessity today.” Harry said back, raising his eyebrows at Draco not knowing if he would remember or not. “I popped in to see Molly and Arthur while you were at the shop. I’m not ashamed of it but I just- well, just didn’t really think they needed to see it.”

“See what?” Draco said, confused.

Harry chuckled and pulled the neck of his turtle-neck jumper down.

“Oh.” Draco said, looking at the purply red mark plastered on the side of Harry’s neck. It was down at the base on his right side near the juncture of his collarbone and stood out proudly on his skin. “Did I do that?”

“Oh no. That was the other guy I hooked up with in a bathroom stall last night. He was much hotter.” Harry said with a grin. He couldn’t resist.

His grin only got wider when Draco scowled at him. “That’s not funny. You’re mine.”

“Yes I believe that’s what you were proving with this.” He replied, indicating to the mark.

Draco leaned forward and ran his thumb over it. “It looks good on you. Shame I don’t really remember doing it. I might have to give you another one.”

“I don’t object to that, I don’t hate it.” Harry admitted, feeling slightly embarrassed at his confession and remembering how he felt looking in the mirror his morning. He liked being Draco’s. “Maybe just do it in a less obvious place next time.” He laughed slightly.

Draco traced down Harry’s body with his eyes sending a shiver down his spine. “I’m sure I could find somewhere.” He said in that flirtatious voice that Harry had come to love. No one had ever affected him the way Draco does. 

Harry allowed himself to get lost in Draco’s words for a moment with lust filled eyes. He could probably get hard from just listening to his silky voice. Part of him was tempted to forget the whole date and just stay here. No, he thought, he wanted to get out. He wanted to take Draco out, properly. He’d been looking forward to this. He shook his head and snapped out of it at the same time as Draco seemed to, then the moment was gone.

“So any reason why you went to see Mr. and Mrs. Weasley?” Draco asked in his normal voice after a few moments.

“Oh, er, well Arthur was helping me with something erm, for later.” Harry said deliberately, being a bit evasive. His tone was cautious but casual as he spoke. “I thought while I was there I’d tell them quickly, you know, erm, about  _ who _ specifically was coming to lunch tomorrow.”

“You told them? About me?” Draco asked suddenly wide eyed. 

Harry then got nervous. “Well yeah, I mean, that was the plan right? For you to come tomorrow but for me to just erm, well, ease the shock slightly by telling them just before. I know I said I’d write in the morning but well, I was there anyway and… sorry, did I do the wrong thing?”

Draco hesitated slightly and swallowed thickly but then shook his head slowly. “No of course not, it’s your family, you can deal with it however you want. We agreed that we’d tell them before I just show up, that would be worse I think so yeah… I guess we’ll just have to see if they change their mind overnight and uninvite me.” He said with a feeble laugh.

Harry knew now when Draco was using humour as a defence mechanism. He spread his fingers and ran them softly through Draco’s hair before placing a gentle kiss on his forehead. “Not going to happen.” He pulled back to properly look at Draco when he spoke but he kept his hand on the base of his neck, rubbing it softly.

“They were… surprised definitely and a bit...  _ concerned _ I guess, but I didn’t really stay and discuss it with them. I just said that I met you again, you’d changed, I’d changed and we put our differences aside to learn who we really are now. We realised we were right for each other, that we make each other happy and that’s that, nothing more to discuss. I said they could tell Bill and Charlie. I think they’ll be pretty chilled though. Ginny… Ginny I might need to talk to. She really  _ really _ hates Lucius and I guess she kind of hates you too by extension even though that’s not really fair.” 

“Yes well I can understand that but maybe if I apologise we can bond over our mutual hatred of Lucius.” Draco said simply. He let out a long sigh and rubbed his temple slightly in frustration.

“Hey.” Harry said softly, cupping both hands behind Draco’s neck now. “Tomorrow is tomorrow and we’ll deal with whatever it throws up together OK? Let’s just enjoy today.”

Draco smiled weakly and nodded. “OK.” He agreed. 

“Right, if you want a bath or shower or anything before we go then best take it now. I know how long it takes you to do your hair.” Harry teased gently.

“Yes well perfection does require effort.” Draco said with his classic smirk back in place and his confidence boosted. At least for now anyway.

Date first and then worry about everything else second.

*~*

“Ready to go?” Harry asked Draco as he came back into the lounge where Harry was waiting about forty five minutes later.

“Yes, if you think this outfit is acceptable.” Draco replied simply.

Harry looked up at him. He was wearing mid-grey slim jeans with shiny black shoes. On top he had a perfectly fitted black jumper that looked so soft and very posh, probably cashmere Harry thought. The sleeves were rolled up slightly and under the cuffs and the collar a crisp white shirt poked out. He had a french tuck at the front with the bottom of his jumper just tucked into his jeans slightly to show off a shiny silver buckle on a black dragonhide belt. He looked casual but absolutely divine. 

“Yeah it’s perfect.” Harry said honestly with a big smile. “You always look good but yeah, this outfit is really good, I like it.”

“Good.” Draco said with a smile. He felt good in it, Harry could tell and it was nice to see the confident, happy, relaxed Draco again. “That’s a really nice shirt.” Draco said, giving Harry a proper look. He sounded a bit surprised.

“Er, thanks, erm I wasn’t quite sure but I wanted something a bit more special, I guess. You, erm You really do like it?” Harry said, slightly nervous. “Charlie got it for me last Christmas but I’ve never actually worn it. I know it’s a bit different.”

It was a white shirt with artistic splashes of colour on it. Not in a tacky way but in a classy way. The colours were still muted, blacks greys, red and dark blues with a hint of yellow, green and orange. It looked like a canvas painting and it was slightly shiny and tight across his muscles. It was nice, it was just not something that Harry would pick out for himself, but then he supposed that’s why Charlie had bought it.

“No, I honestly really like it, it’s artistic. It looks good on you too.” Draco said, eyeing him keenly and making Harry feel more at ease.

“Well come on then, let’s go.” Harry said motioning into the hallway.

As they reached the front door, Harry opened it and took a step outside. He noticed Draco hesitating slightly so he turned round to face him. Draco didn’t look nervous though he looked happy and excited, there was just something there… something significant.

“Do you realise that this is the first time we’ve actually stepped out of the house together without one of us or both of us being under a cloak?” He asked Harry softly, his voice full of wonder.

“Yeah, I know.” Harry said with a soft smile. 

Draco looked at him as he stepped out of the house and boldly took the arm that Harry was offering out to him. “Feels nice.” Harry said simply.

“Yeah… yeah it does.” Draco quietly agreed. He took another brief moment and then spoke up louder. “Right then Mr. Romantic. Where to?”

Harry grinned. “Hold on tight.” He said simply back before apparating them away. 

When they arrived Harry watched as Draco took a look around and almost burst out laughing at the unimpressed look on his face.

“Please don’t tell me you’re taking me to the Ministry of Magic for our first date?” He asked sceptically, arms crossed tightly across his chest as he looked around the familiar part of London.

Harry hadn’t taken him to the Ministry entrance of course, that would be way too public. They were currently round the back in an alley by the red phone box which acted as a visitor entrance. He had known that Draco recognise it though and what his reaction would be though, which is part of the reason he’d done it.

“No, don't worry. I have no desire to go in.” Harry said chuckling. “It’s just that this is somewhere I know we could apparate to without being seen by muggles and it’s right round the corner from a taxi bay. You said you wanted to get one sober but getting one from home would have been a fairly long journey. London is a big place. This is much closer.” He explained as he watched the relief and realisation on Draco’s face.

“Right, OK, I get it now. Thank goodness for that.” Draco snorted slightly. “So a taxi huh? That’s what they’re called? Well lead the way I guess. I’ve never knowingly travelled by muggle transport before.”

Harry did lead the way as Draco walked alongside him. Neither one went to take the other’s hand, Harry didn’t know if Draco was thinking the same as him, that they still could be recognised near the Ministry, or if he was simply content like this. 

“Well you should be able to tick a couple of modes of transport off your list tonight.” He said as they walked.

“Oh, what else are we going on?” Draco asked with a slight ounce of trepidation in his voice.

“You’ll see.” Harry said with a cheeky smile as they neared the taxi bay. 

He walked to the front one and spoke into the open window giving the driver the destination quietly so Draco couldn’t hear. The driver simply nodded, man of few words it seemed, and then Harry went to get the back door for Draco. Draco eyed the car slightly nervously.

“Come on, it’s fine. You were in one last night after all.” Harry said finding the whole thing rather funny. This had been a last minute change to the date but he couldn’t help himself.

Draco sighed in resignation and got into the back of the black London cab with Harry following and closing the door behind them. In reality though Draco didn’t seem that scared by the car. A couple of times he tensed up if the driver broke a bit too sharply but that was it. Mostly he was just fascinated by watching the city of London from this vantage point out of the car window. It was easy to forget how sheltered Draco’s life had been. He’d only ever seen one tiny part of the world when he was younger and that was the pureblood wizarding culture. 

Harry knew that when he moved back to the UK, he hardly left the Manor except to go to the Greengrass estate or wizarding restaurants. Since living in London Draco hadn’t really been out and about much either. The first time that Harry had been to London he was fascinated too but that had been a whole big eye opening day. It had also been the first day he’d met Draco funnily enough. Since the war though Harry had been out and about in muggle London a fair amount but he hadn’t done any of the tourist stuff really. He wanted to do that now with Draco. He wanted to have experiences with him.

“So enjoying the drive?” Harry asked Draco about halfway into the journey after Draco had been quiet for a little while.

“Yes it’s nice actually. Very different to see London like this.” Draco said, looking at everything they passed with curiosity. “Still prefer our conventional and more convenient ways of travelling though.”

“Just be grateful that I didn’t take you on the tube.” Harry said laughing slightly. 

Draco’s eyes widened in horror. “Merlin, no thank you. Blaise went on it once and said he’d never do it again. His retelling of it was enough to convince me I don’t need to try it.”

Harry laughed harder at that because he knew Draco was absolutely serious. There was no way he was ever getting Draco on the tube.

*~*

It didn’t take them long to get to their destination which was South Bank, right by the-

“Wow that’s the London eye thing right? I’ve heard about it but not seen it up close.” Draco said, staring at the big white wheel as they got out of the cab. 

“Well we’re going to get much closer.” Harry said with a big smile.

He saw the moment Draco realised on his face as his eyes got wide again and his mouth hung open slightly. “You can’t be serious? We’re going on that thing?”

“Yep.” Harry said happily, taking Draco’s hand and pulling him towards it. 

It was late afternoon on a Saturday and it was busy for October. There were lots of people around, probably because it was actually a nice day today. Cold sure, but dry and sunny.

“Is that the queue to get on?” Draco asked incredulously. 

“Yeh it’s a popular attraction even off peak.” Harry shrugged.

“Harrrry.” Draco whined. “Is it really worth it? Just to go up slowly in a weird oval thing?”

“The view is supposed to be amazing. I thought it might be a really good way to see London properly.” Harry said, turning round to Draco as they got close to it.

Draco’s face was difficult to read and Harry was finding it amusing. He looked like he was torn between really not wanting to wait in the queue and not wanting to disappoint Harry whilst all at the same time eyeing the London eye suspiciously like he didn’t trust it.

He broke out into a grin as Draco reluctantly made to join the back of the queue. “Not that way, this way.” He said pointing to the VIP entrance. “I booked us a private pod, we don’t need to queue.”

“Oh thank Salazar for that.” Draco said relieved and then he looked at Harry with a small smile on his face. “You really organised that, for me?”

“Of course.” Harry said quietly. “You, erm, you want to, right?” He asked, suddenly a bit unsure, not knowing if Draco’s negative reaction was just because of the queue or the whole idea.

“Yes I want to. I’d love to experience this with you Harry and see the view from up there.” He answered assuredly without an ounce of hesitation now.

Harry laughed. “You’re such a Prince aren’t you? You didn’t want to wait in the queue and then the minute I said VIP your whole face lit up.” 

Draco shrugged coyly. “I thought you liked me being a Prince?” He asked, fluttering his long eyelashes over his sparkling silver eyes.

“You know I do.” Harry said quietly, reaching up to kiss his forehead. “Right let’s go or we’ll miss our time slot.”

They didn’t have to wait long at all and as soon as they entered their private pod Draco’s eyes went straight to the bottle of champagne and the two glasses on the table in the middle. “Is that for us?” 

“Of course.” Harry answered making his way over to open it.

The cork went flying as he did but he noticed Draco pick it up from the floor and tuck it into his pocket to keep. Who’s the real romantic here? Thought Harry fondly to himself but he didn’t say anything. Instead he just poured the champagne and passed a glass to Draco. He took it and Harry poured another for himself. Together they went over to the front of the glass pod and looked out over the river as they slowly rose, taking in more and more of the view.

They chatted happily, pointing out different things they could see and sipping their drinks with one hand as their other hands were clasped together the whole time. The view at the top really was something and even though Harry had flown over London on a broom and on a Thestral, it was nice to see the view properly here with Draco where he wasn’t in fear of anything. Neither of them were, not here, not now. 

They’d both had a lot of fear in their lives and knew what it was like to constantly look over your shoulder. They didn’t need to do that now though, they had nothing to be afraid of anymore. They could just enjoy being out together on a nice normal date like a nice normal couple.

They shared a short kiss at the top and Harry suddenly wished he had a camera to capture the moment. As they were nearly back where they started Draco put their now empty glasses on the table and moved back towards Harry. 

Draco snaked one slender arm around Harry’s waist and it ended up on the small of Harry’s back drawing him closer. Harry felt Draco’s other hand trail up into his hair and nestle in at the back of his head. Draco applied the tiniest bit of pressure there to hold Harry’s head still whilst he lowered his head to meet him. Harry felt the familiar feeling of Draco’s lips on his and even though they kissed multiple times a day now really he still couldn’t get enough of it. Mostly they just kissed normally but this was a proper  _ kiss _ , the sort of kiss that made you feel alive.

It didn’t get too heated, after all even though they were in a private pod it was made of glass and they were nearly at the point where they’d have to get out. It did feel nice though to be able to kiss Draco in front of all these people. No one knew them here, no one cared, they were just two guys on a date and that was fine. 

As Draco pulled away he left his thumb and forefinger just gripping Harry’s chin lightly as he looked at him. “Thank you for this Harry. It’s not something I ever would have thought of and I’ve never done something like this before but it’s been really nice.”

Relief and pride flooded through Harry. The first date he’d ever planned and so far his boyfriend loved it. “That’s exactly what I wanted. I just wanted us to do something different and spend time together just relaxing and having fun out the house.”

“It’s perfect.” Draco said as he leaned in to just give Harry one more chaste kiss before the doors opened. 

“Well that was just the beginning. Come on.” Harry said as he stepped away from Draco towards the exit but still holding his hand.

Harry checked quickly that they were going the right way and led Draco down the path along the river. They walked hand in hand without a care in the world and it was really nice, it left like they were really boyfriends now. There was the occasional glance, Harry knew that some people both in the muggle and the wizarding world were still not used to two guys holding hands but fortunately they didn’t get any comments and most people didn’t seem bothered. 

Draco was still looking around everywhere like this was a whole new world to him. 

“I’ve never just walked round London like this.” He started speaking in a relaxed carefree way as they walked, looking around and voicing his thoughts out loud. “Only really in the wizarding part around Diagon Alley. Shops with Daphne and wizarding restaurants with Blaise that sort of thing but never just walked around like this. Makes me realise how much I’ve missed out on. That’s what I was nervous about coming back here. In Paris I felt much more free. I liked walking around the streets just exploring, felt like nothing mattered, no one cared who I was. I didn’t have a destination in mind, I was just wandering around and seeing things.”

“That sounds nice.” Harry said sincerely. “I’d like to hear more about your time in Paris, you don’t always talk about it but I get the impression you really liked it there.”

“I did and I didn’t.” Draco said cryptically. “It was an escape which was exactly what I needed at first and it is a beautiful city but it never quite felt like home and I was lonely there really.”

“Well I’m glad you came back. You’re home now.” Harry said squeezing his hand affectionately.

“Yes, I am.” Draco said happily.

They walked in comfortable silence along the river for another five minutes or so until Harry stopped and looked at the next part of their date and then looked at Draco’s face anxiously.

“Why have you stopped?” Draco asked him not realising they’d reached their destination.

“Well, we’re here.” Harry said simply and gestured in front of him. “This is the next part of the date.”

Draco turned to look and his eyes went wide again. There was a flicker of nerves in those eyes but it did pass and mostly he looked excited.

“We’re going on that?” He asked pointing to the luxury boat at the end of the short board walk. 

There was a waiter standing there formally and very smartly dressed with a black waistcoat and bowtie over a crisp white shirt with black suit trousers and black shiny shoes.

“Yeah, dinner cruise on a private yacht. That OK?” Harry asked slightly worried. He thought Draco looked pleased but he just really wanted to show Draco a good time.

“Yes, more than OK Harry, this looks amazing. I’ve never been on a boat before but I used to watch them on the river in Paris. It’s really all for us? A private cruise with dinner?” He asked in wonder, his eyes sparkling.

Harry smiled softly and squeezed Draco’s hand again. “Yeah of course. It’s all for you Draco, you deserve to be treated and I’ve always wanted to do this but I’ve never had anyone to do it with.”

“And you said this wasn’t a big romantic date.” Draco said, shaking his head fondly. “I’d love to see what you do on a romantic date then.”

“Well you know, I just meant that I wasn’t whisking you off to Paris or something.” Harry laughed feeling no ounce of anxiety now he knew this was something Draco wanted to do. 

“No.” Draco said, suddenly much more serious. He turned to Harry and spoke determinedly. “ _ When _ we go to Paris, it will be  _ me _ taking  _ you _ and showing you around.” He put his hand around Harry’s waist again in one quick and insistent movement. When he spoke though it was soft and right in Harry’s ear. “I want to treat you too.” 

“I won’t object to that.” Harry said quietly, for some reason he had to fight back some emotion in that moment. He wasn't sure why he was feeling so emotional today, this was just different. Him and Draco at home was one thing but this just felt so much more real. 

“Come on then.” Draco said and for once it was him leading Harry as he walked down towards the boat.

The waiter greeted them politely. “Welcome Mr. Potter and Mr. Black.” He said to both of them. He clearly didn’t know which one was which as he looked back and forth between them but Harry had given their names when he booked.

“Thank you.” Harry said, taking back charge of the date. He stepped onto the boat first and held out his arm for Draco to climb aboard too. It was a tiny bit wobbly but not too much, mostly it was smooth as Draco always did everything with an effortless grace. 

The waiter showed them to the table that was mostly sheltered by the roof of the boat but the back of the boat was open to the cool early evening October air. He let Draco choose his seat first and he chose the back of the booth facing out to the rear of the boat. Harry scooted in to the side bench so he was close to him. He preferred sitting perpendicular to Draco rather than opposite. Opposite felt too far away, this felt more intimate and it gave Harry a good view although he wasn’t sure if he wanted to look left out the back of the boat to see London or right to see his handsome boyfriend.

Once they were seated at the table the waiter set their cutlery down on the crisp white table cloth. In the middle was an elegant glass vase with a small bunch of red roses which was a nice touch that Harry didn’t ask for but welcomed anyway.

The waiter asked what they would like to drink and offered a small selection of wine or beer. Harry encouraged Draco to get whichever bottle of wine he wanted. He wasn’t fussy about wine and knew Draco was more knowledgeable in that area anyway. Harry had already had two glasses of champagne on the London eye and wasn’t planning on indulging much more anyway. He would nurse a large glass of wine over dinner and that would be that. Three glasses was nothing really for Harry and then he could still side along Draco with ease.

Draco ordered a medium-sweet white wine, no surprise there then. It didn’t take long for the waiter to disappear below deck and get it. In the time he did the driver started their journey along the river at a nice relaxed but not boringly slow pace. The wine was poured, olives were served and they both sat back and enjoyed the cruise.

“I hope you don’t mind an earlier dinner but there is a third part to this date so it couldn’t be too late. The sun will start setting about halfway through dinner though so we’ll see it while we’re on the boat, thought that would be nice.” Harry said whilst holding Draco’s hand on the table. He just couldn’t seem to not have contact with Draco. He just constantly wanted to touch him in some way, he craved that connection with him. 

“It sounds like you planned it all out perfectly.” Draco said, running his thumb gently over Harry’s hand and taking a sip of his wine.

“I tried.” Harry replied after enjoying one of the stuffed olives. “Wow these are garlicky, maybe not the best choice for a first date huh?” He chuckled.

“Harry, I kiss you every morning before you brush your teeth and you think a bit of garlic is going to put me off?” Draco said, raising his eyebrows.

“Yeah true, I guess it won’t then. I’m sorry about my morning breath, we’ve never discussed that.” He said laughing slightly awkwardly.

“Have I ever complained?” Draco replied immediately, putting Harry back at ease.

“No, guess not.” Harry said feeling weirdly shy all of a sudden even though he had no idea why.

It was weird, this really did feel like a first date in a way even though this wasn’t just anyone, this was Draco, he was already his boyfriend, they were already living together. He didn’t know why he kept getting these nervous moments. 

Draco didn’t seem nervous at all though which made Harry feel like he was just being stupid. Draco seemed to sense his nerves though as he was looking at him quite intently now.

“Hey.” He said gently, cutting through Harry’s thoughts. Draco scooted closer and put his hand on Harry’s shoulder squeezing it gently. “What’s up?”

“Nothing. I’m just being stupid.” Harry said with a big slightly forced smile as he reached towards Draco’s leg under the table.

“It’s not nothing, you’re nervous.” Draco insisted but without being pushy. Harry didn’t reply because he knew he couldn’t lie but he couldn’t really think what to say. “Harry, baby, why are you nervous?”

The pet name just slipped in like that with so much affection went straight to Harry’s heart. Draco had said it casually here and there but it was mostly as a joke. This though was a soft term of endearment and Harry didn’t want to admit how much he liked it.

He swallowed and willed himself to relax but knew he had to offer Draco some sort of explanation as well as try to understand it himself. 

“It’s just… well I don’t want to put too much pressure on this or anything but I- er, I’ve been wanting to take a guy out on a proper date for so long. I’ve thought about it a lot, what I’d do, what it would be like. I- well I guess I am a romantic really but this is what I’ve always wanted… To plan a date for someone I really care about, someone-” Harry took a deep breath. “Someone I know I could have a future with. I was just never sure how to get that missing piece you know?  _ Who _ the date would actually be with and now I just couldn’t fathom being with anyone else.”

“You are a romantic, I already knew that.” Draco said fondly and he leaned in and nuzzled Harry’s neck giving him a gentle kiss just above where Harry’s love bit was poking out of his shirt collar. Then Draco leaned back slightly and looked at Harry seriously full of care.

“It’s cute that you’ve always thought about this and you planned it with so much care. I really am enjoying myself.” Draco bought his hand up and softly tucked Harry’s hair behind his ear lingering close. “But I still don’t get why you’re so nervous. You’re acting like you need to impress me so much but you forget that whatever happens I’m coming home with you at the end of this date. It’s really nice to get out and I do love you spoiling me but I just don’t see this as a big milestone for us or anything. I’m not going to leave you if the date wasn’t what I wanted. I’m already yours Harry.”

Immediately Harry realised how stupid he was being at Draco’s words just melted all of his worries away. “You’re totally right, you are coming home with me regardless.” He said, laughing at his own insecurities. “I’m sorry. I dunno why I was so nervous, I just really wanted you to like this date. It’s important to me to make you happy.”

Draco traced Harry’s jaw lightly with his thumb running backwards and forwards and then softly over his lips. “You’re such a sweetheart aren’t you? You really do just want to make me happy and take care of me.” He said quietly as if speaking to himself.

“Of course.” Harry replied, gently taking Draco’s hand and pressing a kiss into his palm.

“What did I do to deserve you huh?” Draco whispered and he was looking at Harry like he was the most precious thing in the world. 

He had seen Draco look at him with fondness before but this look was something else. This was the look of love, it had to be. Whether Draco realised that was how he was looking at Harry was another thing. Then Draco broke eye contact as if it was just a bit too much. He actually looked like he might cry as he looked past Harry and out onto the river.

“You didn’t need to do anything other than just be yourself.” Harry replied, still holding Draco’s hand close. “You’ve had a rough ride, you deserve someone to treat you right and I just so badly want to be that person for you. As soon as we became friends I already felt this protectiveness over you I suppose and it’s not because I don’t think you can take care of yourself. I know you can, you’re strong and independent which I like but... I could tell you needed support and maybe a bit of help too, I just really wanted to provide it for you, you have no idea.”

“I know Harry. You just have this desire to protect people. You’re the kindest person I know.” Draco replied affectionately looking back at him now. “I know it took me a while to let you in but I’m glad I did. I’m quite happy to let you take care of me, I know you want that and I’m much happier to accept that now. Occasionally you have to let me take care of you too though.”

“I have.” Harry insisted. “You do take care of me too, I sleep the best I’ve ever slept in my life now.”

“I know.” Draco said simply with a big smile. “I like that I did for you.”

“You do so much for me.” Harry said softly. 

He wondered whether this was the moment to tell Draco how strongly he felt. He had planned to do it later but there was a certain amount of emotion in the air right now, in a good way. It was so nice to see Draco so relaxed and carefree with a real genuine smile. It wasn’t really that rare to see Draco like this these days which was good but it still made Harry happy to think of all those barriers that Draco used to hide behind being long gone now.

Just as he opened his mouth again the waiter came back with their starter course and the moment was gone. Harry felt a little frustrated, he wondered whether that would have been the perfect moment. Now though Draco was distracted by the board of whole baked camembert and toasted bread that got put between them. 

“I haven’t had a baked camembert in ages but it’s one of my absolute favourites, did you order this?” Draco said with a wide smile that reached into his eyes. He looked like a kid in a sweet shop.

“Well not specifically I guess. There were a few set menus to choose from and this was just the one I thought you’d like the most.” Harry explained feeling pleased that so far at least he’d chosen the right one.

Draco looked like he was in heaven when he tucked into it. “Hmm takes me right back to the chateau. I used to have this on the patio all the time.” He said with his eyes closed as if remembering.

“So the chateau is yours now right?” Harry asked.

“Yes it is.” Draco said as if he still couldn’t believe it. 

“I’d love to see it, your face always lights up when you talk about it.” Harry said as he spooned some of the melted cheese onto his piece of toast. 

“I’ll definitely take you.” Draco promised. “Maybe in the summer. It’s lovely then and once the business is more established I might be able to hire more staff and trust them to run it while I’m away.”

“That would be really good.” Harry said, feeling some warmth that Draco could easily talk about their future in at least a casual way like this. 

He knew they were both serious about this, they’d said as much but they hadn’t really made any plans for the future or even mentioned next year. To hear Draco was definitely still imagining them together next summer was a relief. 

“I’d like to make some changes to it though. I was thinking I might just take a day or two to pop over there over the Christmas holiday just to plan out the work I want to get done. It’s really opulent and it just reminds me of Lucius and the Malfoy money in a way that I’m not completely comfortable with.” Draco said after enjoying a couple of camembert covered slices of toast.

“Yeah I can understand that but you have the money and the control now so you can do whatever you want with it. You clearly have an eye for design.” Harry’s mind wandered to the designs of the shop and the sketch book that he still hadn’t asked about. “You thought much about what you want to do in the garden yet?”

“Yes I have sketched a few things out but until we clear the space and see what we’re working with it’s hard to plan it all out.” Draco said sensibly.

“Can’t argue with that. I can arrange for it to just be completely cleared and then we can start with a blank canvas as it were. I’ll get on it next week.” Harry replied. He took a sip of the wine and he had to admit he found himself liking wine more and more and this did go well with the cheese. “So erm, I actually wanted to ask you about your sketchbook. I, er, saw it on the desk of the spare room you stayed in when you first moved in but I haven't seen it since.”

“Oh it’s in my office.” Draco said simply.

“So was it just for the business, drawing the plans or do you like to draw?” Harry asked casually, realising that there was still more to learn about Draco and he still loved finding out all the details.

“No, it’s not just for the business. I’ve always loved to draw actually.” Draco replied, topping up his now empty glass. He offered some to Harry but he said no and Draco carried on. “I had a variety of tutors when I was younger. It was expected of me to have knowledge of the arts. Lucius used to buy various pieces of art to impress people and really he just wanted me to be able to do the same. He never expected me to enjoy the lessons as much as I did. It was the drawing rather than the painting I liked, painting is a bit messy for me.”

“So you’ve always drawn? I didn’t know that. I know you used to pass me drawings of me dying in various ways or fainting from dementors at school but those were just stick figures.” Harry chuckled.

“Well yes I didn’t exactly put a lot of effort into them.” Draco scoffed. “I used to draw in the back of my school books all the time though. Lucius stopped buying me proper sketchbooks and pencils when I became too into it. He said it was a waste of time.”

“So did you get back into drawing properly in Paris?” Harry was really enjoying just talking to Draco about things that weren’t to do with their past or the war, just about him and his interests. 

Draco nodded and did that soft smile he did when he was remembering something he was fond of. “Yes, Lucius still kept a tight control over my money but he couldn’t see exactly what I bought just where I bought it from so I stocked up on pencils and sketch pads at a stationary store and just passed them off as studying supplies. I spent most of my free time walking around Paris with my sketchbook and pencils just stopping when I saw something I wanted to capture.”

“I like that image.” Harry said, trying to picture Draco doing that. “It’s amazing that you have a hobby like that. I'm impressed, you’re so creative. What is it that you like about drawing so much?”

Draco half shrugged and half smiled. “Just having a vision and then putting it down onto paper, watching it come alive, there is something really special about that. Drawing still life and landscapes is nice too because you can immortalise a moment or a memory in a way that you want. I didn’t always do them super realistic, sometimes it would just be my interpretation of it, sometimes I would recreate it as close as I could.”

“It’s nice to hear you talk like this. I love learning all about you.” Harry said fondly as they finished off the starter. “So the framed drawings of Paris in the shop… did you do them?” Harry asked tentatively.

“Erm, yes.” Draco admitted suddenly seeming a bit shy. 

“Draco, they…” Harry started not quite able to believe it. “They are amazing, I remember them catching my eye as soon as I went in that first time. They looked super professional and I thought they would have cost a fortune. I can’t believe you did those, you’re… you’re amazing.”

“Thanks.” Draco said blushing slightly.

Harry watched that faint pinkness in Draco’s cheeks. Damn he was beautiful and the work he did was beautiful too. “I’d love to see more of your sketches from your time there, if you want to show me that is.”

Harry was worried he’d said the wrong thing as Draco’s expression suddenly turned sad and he looked away. 

“The rest of them got destroyed. They were in my trunks that…” He trailed off and didn’t finish this sentence but he didn’t need to. Harry realised then what had happened to them and he felt so sad in that moment for Draco.

“That bastard.” Harry muttered but not that quietly. He took a deep breath and reached over to take Draco’s hand. He didn’t want to dwell on that moment, not when they’d been having such a good time. Instead he squeezed Draco’s hand and waited until he looked back at him to flash him a smile. “When you take me to Paris I’d love to just follow you around and sit there whilst you draw. You can make lots of new ones and we’ll cherish those.”

“You can carry all my stuff for me.” Draco said putting on a brave face, or maybe Harry really had just made me feel better. “You’ve got the muscles after all.”

Harry smiled properly at that. “I’d be happy to.”

That broke the slight moment of sadness and tension and got them back on happy ground. Draco spoke more about his favourite places in Paris and now Harry knew he liked art, they talked about some museums and galleries they could go to. They chatted freely as the starter got cleared away and the main of fish ‘en papillote’ with lemon and dill sauce came out. 

Fortunately Draco really liked this dish too. Harry knew how much Draco liked fish but it wasn’t something they had often at home. Harry does like fish, it's just that he never cooks it for himself as he prefers meat but he should probably try and do it more often if it would make Draco happy. Maybe they could learn to cook some fish dishes together. Harry ended up suggesting that as they ate and Draco liked that idea. As they ate they spoke more about things they wanted to do together in the future, places they wanted to visit and ideas for future dates. There were no concrete plans made but it was really the first time they’d talked like this. 

Towards the end of the main course the sun did start to set and it was really beautiful. When they finished eating they moved to the back of the boat and sat on the bench out in the open so they could really take in the sunset over the river. Draco was studying everything and said he wished he had his sketchbook with him now. Harry made him promise to draw more and show him some of his work, he really would love to see it.

Sitting there on the water with the last glass of wine as the sun went down really was romantic and rather perfect. Part of Harry didn’t want to leave this moment but he knew the boat would be docking soon. Draco noticed that the boat (having turned round a while ago) was now pretty much back where they started too and also seemed reluctant to leave. Although when he spoke Harry realised exactly why that was.

“Are we not having dessert?” He frowned.

Harry laughed inwardly at that. He had kind of forgotten Draco didn’t know the plan but he should have known that’s what he’d ask. He decided to have a little bit of fun with it. “Erm no sorry, I didn’t think you’d want a dessert.”

Draco looked horrified which was hilarious. “You didn’t think I’d want dessert? Have you met me?!” 

That made Harry laugh out loud, he couldn’t help it. He was thinking about completely lying but he just couldn’t pull it off. It was very hard to lie to Draco and he also thought if he didn’t promise him dessert right now Draco might just march them to the nearest place he could buy anything sweet from.

“Relax your highness. Your dessert is coming. Did you forget I mentioned a part three to this date?” Harry said, giving him an affectionate kiss on the cheek.

“Oh right, yes I had. That’s OK then.” Draco said quietly, looking a little embarrassed.

“You didn’t really think I’d take you out and not get you dessert did you?” Harry asked as he nuzzled into the side of Draco’s neck.

“You might have been going home alone if you had.” Draco joked. Well Harry was almost sure it was a joke anyway.

Harry half wondered whether he’d missed another perfect moment to tell Draco what he’d been planning all evening. Would it have been best on the boat at sunset? That did seem pretty damn romantic. Ohwell, the night wasn’t over yet and Harry was looking forward to the next part too. It would be more relaxed and for the first time on the date they would be truly alone. Maybe it would be best then.

*~*

They got off the boat and walked just far enough so they could find somewhere quiet to apparate. Draco held onto Harry’s waist and Harry wrapped a strong arm around him as he whisked them both away. They landed in a field that was in a bit of a valley between two hills in the middle of the British countryside. It was getting dark now and they couldn’t see much. Harry got his wand out from his sock where he’d slid it in just in case he needed it and cast a lumos charm so he could see Draco’s face properly. 

Draco looked around and then back at Harry with a confused look on his face. Harry grabbed his waist and spun him around so he could see what was behind him. At the same time he waved his wand over in the direction of all the lanterns that were dotted around the floor to light them up. Then he looked back at Draco to see his jaw had dropped. It was just the reaction Harry had hoped for when he’d set this up while Draco had been at the shop earlier that day.

Arthur had helped him make a screen out of some metal bars and a big white sheet and Harry had known he had a working projector in the shed that could plug into a laptop. The laptop itself was actually Hermione’s that she’d kindly let Harry borrow. Fortunately Arthur also collected batteries and big battery packs as a weird hobby which Harry was now grateful for as they definitely wouldn’t run out of power tonight. 

The laptop already had the DVD loaded and the projector was set up perfectly angled on a tree stump pointed to the makeshift screen. On the floor was a couple of big blankets with a massive selection of large cushions. There were more blankets rolled up in a pile in case they needed them. Then Draco noticed the little wooden crates arranged with a mini little dessert bar that Harry had organised. His eyes lit up at the eclairs and the other pastries. There was also a plate of chocolate dipped strawberries and a box of assorted macaroons.

He’d been pleased with the look earlier but by candle light it looked even better and Draco seemed to like it.

“Harry this is… this is something else. How...? When…?” Draco started looking around in surprise.

“Erm, well this is what I was doing with Arthur when you were at the shop. Molly helped too, she set the deserts up under my instruction. I left them in the kitchen. The Burrow is actually just there past that hill.” Harry explained. “This is where I come flying actually. No one ever comes here but I set this up under a load of muggle repelling and privacy charms anyway. I wouldn’t be surprised if Molly refreshed them when she put the desserts out either.”

“It’s all amazing. The candles, the desserts… you got macaroons. I love macaroons, and eclairs too, pastries and chocolate covered strawberries Harry! That’s… you’re… this is just…” Draco said with his eyes wide and sparkling.

“I take it you like it then?” Harry asked with a grin.

“I love it Harry. No one has ever done anything like this for me and the whole date is perfect.” Draco said sincerely and somewhat excitedly. “Thank you for the desserts.” He said with a grin and then plastered a big kiss on Harry’s lips that almost took him by surprise. 

Harry pointed to the small pile of clothes on the blanket. “I brought joggers and hoodies if you wanna get warm and cosy or you can stay how you are, whatever you’re most comfortable in. At least we have warming charms right?”

“You really have thought of everything. I can’t believe you planned all of this.” Draco said, sounding impressed. 

“What, you don’t think I’m capable of planning anything?” Harry asked, pretending to be offended.

“No it’s not that. Just… I don’t even know what to say now.” Draco said, still just standing there and looking around. “And Mr. and Mrs. Weasley helped you with this? Before or after you told them your boyfriend was me?”

“Well it was sort of during I suppose.” Harry shrugged. “Honestly, I told you they’re pretty accepting people. I don’t think they would judge anyone before they saw me with them and they just want me to be happy. But we’re not worrying about anything like that tonight anyway remember? Tonight is just about us.” He said putting his hand back around Draco’s waist and pulling him close.

“Hmm you’re right.” Draco mumbled against Harry’s forehead before kissing him there. “I need one of those strawberries.” He said as he pulled Harry towards them causing him to nearly topple over and laugh.

Draco reached over and popped one of the strawberries into his mouth. “That is so good.” He said before he ate another one with Harry’s arms still around his waist.

“Do I not get one?” Harry asked as Draco ate happily. 

“No, they’re too good to be shared with you.” Draco responded, picking out a third one for himself.

“Guess I’ll just have to taste them on you then.” Harry said before pulling Draco in for a long passionate kiss.

Draco laughed as they pulled away before finally picking out a strawberry for Harry and feeding it to him. After some more strawberries, and some more kissing, they did in fact get changed into joggers and hoodies so they could really relax. 

“So what are we watching then?” Draco asked as he made himself comfortable on the floor arranging the large cushions exactly how he wanted them.

“What do you think?” Harry called over from the laptop as he was turning it on and getting the film started.

Draco didn’t answer straight away but seemed to be considering it as Harry came to lie down next to him propping himself up on cushions too. Suddenly it clicked in Draco’s mind as the film started playing. “Oh is it the second Lord of the Rings?”

“Yep.” Harry said happily. “It’s called the Two Towers.”

“Excellent.” Draco said summoning the box of macaroons and placing it between them. 

“Yeh? You happy? This good?” Harry asked, reaching for a green macaroon not really knowing what the flavours were but happy to try whatever.

“Yes babe, I’m happy. This is good.” Draco said, looking very happy and relaxed.

“Good.” Harry replied snuggling in closer. “This time we can actually cuddle without second guessing every movement the other one makes and slowly creeping closer.” He said with a little laugh.

“You were doing that too huh?” Draco asked, smiling.

Harry playfully ran his fingers through Draco’s hair and curled one of the soft blonde locks round his finger. “Of course.”

The candles were flickering beautifully in the evening’s sky and the whole vibe here was really nice. Harry couldn’t help but feel a little smug as he reflected on the date that he’d planned. He’d done well, this was good. As before, they chatted as they watched which Harry actually liked. He’d seen it before anyway and he found Draco’s little questions quite endearing.

…

“Why do they start the film by reminding you that Gandalf dies? That seems cruel.”

“You'll see, just watch.” Harry replied fondly.

“Wow, he fights it? We didn’t see that bit before.” Draco was watching the screen with fascination. “I still don’t understand how the muggles made this.”

“There’s a ‘making of’ section on the DVD too, we can watch that sometime.” 

…

“See Frodo has nightmares and feels guilty about Gandalf’s death even though it’s not his fault. You’re just like him.” Draco said half joking but full of affection.

“I’d still rather be Aragon.” Harry sulked.

“Oh you’re just as fit as him don’t worry.” Draco said slipping his hand under Harry’s jumper and just trailing a finger over his abs. “I wanted to tell you that the first time I just didn’t want to come across too strong.”

Harry laughed but definitely felt happy about Draco’s late confession. “Even though I complimented your eyes and said you looked like a guy who I said was attractive?”

“Yeah that was nice. I guess that was my first clue that you found me attractive.” Draco said smiling.

Harry turned towards him quickly in surprise. “That was your first clue? I’d been eye fucking you for ages before then. You’re bloody gorgeous Draco.”

Draco didn’t reply but he had to bite back his smile and his hand, still on Harry’s bare skin under his jumper, pulled Harry even close to him as they carried on watching the film.

…

“The ring around his neck affecting him like that… Is that how it felt for you carrying the locket you got from Umbridge?” Draco asked tentatively, softly stroking his skin.

Harry paused slightly not really wanting to think about that tonight but it was a fair question. “There is a certain similarity, yes. I saw this film at the cinema with Ron and Hermione and we all said the same thing.”

“Did they carry it too?”

“Yeah, we took turns.”

“I’m actually impressed.” Draco said sincerely. “Thought you’d insist on carrying the burden alone like Frodo.”

“Yeah well Hermione was a bit more insistent than Sam.” Harry chuckled slightly. 

Draco smiled at that but still seemed in a serious, reflective mood. “The scar on your chest, and those faint lines around your neck… I’m guessing that’s from the locket?”

“Yeah…” Harry said slowly. “I guess I did wear it the most out of the three of us. It, erm, it affected Ron the worst. It was a really difficult time. It was hell actually… Ron ended up leaving.”

“He left?” Draco asked, shocked.

“Yeah…” Harry replied awkwardly. “I know it doesn’t paint him in the best light but he’s never had to go hungry before which was a factor too… It’s the next part of the book so you’ll get all the details but the important thing is that he came back. I, erm, I did something a bit stupid and the necklace strangled me, almost killed me actually. Ron saved my life.”

Draco reached up with his other hand and traced the faint scar around Harry’s neck and then leaned in to plant little kisses there. He didn’t say anything then, whether he was still thinking about it or waiting for the full story or whether it was just because he didn’t want to miss too much of the film Harry didn’t know. It didn’t matter though, he didn’t need words when his sweet actions spoke for him.

…

“Ah there’s my crush… and there’s yours. They really are handsome. They’d look good together.” 

“Well we look good together. So yes, they probably would… if they were real and gay. Although there’s probably fan fiction of them together.”

“Fan fiction?” Draco questioned.

Harry chuckled. “Yeh you know, stories written by fans who write them being together as a bit of an alternate story or whatever.”

“Hmm maybe I should check it out.” Draco said thoughtfully.

“You ever looked at porn? Like magazines and stuff?” Harry asked.

“Of course.” Draco said casually. “Not recently to be fair but I used to buy some wizarding porn magazines in Paris and Blaise used to send me the British ones. He bought me your sexy ‘lookalike’ calendar one year too. That was a treat.”

Harry groaned, ha hated that stupid calendar. Fred had bought it and enlarged it where it sat proudly on his bedroom wall all fucking year. “Right, let’s not talk about that. Just watch the film.”

…

“The landscape in this film really is beautiful. Is that all fake too by the muggles or is it real?”

“No, the scenery is real. It’s filmed in New Zealand and it is supposed to be beautiful there.”

“I’d like to go there one day.” 

“Well we can.” Harry said, shifting himself flatter and pulling Draco half on top of him. “We can go anywhere you want my Prince.” He stroked Draco’s hair as his head rested against his chest.

…

“No! Not Merry and Pippin!” Draco cried out suddenly. He had sat himself up now and was tucking into the eclairs. “Did they make it out OK?”

“You’ll have to wait and see.” Harry said wondering how Draco could possibly still be hungry after demolishing half the macaroons.

“But you know. Can’t you just tell me?” Draco whined.

“No I can’t.” Harry insisted. “Don’t pout like that, it won’t work.”

…

“So are they dead? Harry…. I don’t want it to be sad.”

Draco was cute like this and just a little bit funny. “I know babe. It’s OK just watch.” Harry said shifting himself behind Draco with his legs on either side of him so Draco could lean back into him and still carry on eating.

Draco let out a happy little sigh and got very comfortable. We watched the film with a little bit of worry and even forgot to finish his éclair at one point. Then he let out a little breath of relief and finished the pastry, licking his fingers as he did so. Harry was enjoying watching him more than the film.

“So they did get away. Good, I like them.”

“I know you do. It’s OK.” Harry said kissing Draco’s neck affectionately.

…

“Oh those are creepy. They look like inferi.”

Harry shuddered having already looked away from the screen as he knew they were coming. “Yeah... I, erm, I actually kind of hate this bit to be honest.” He mumbled.

Suddenly Draco wasn’t watching either as if the film was insignificant compared to Harry’s needs. He turned around and cupped the back of Harry’s head with one hand and the waist with the other and brought him close. Harry nuzzled into Draco’s neck welcoming the embrace.

“Sorry.” Draco whispered gently. “I didn’t think. Guess you’ve been through something similar. You OK?”

“Yeah I’m fine. It was a long time ago but yeah, just probably still one of my biggest fears. They'll go in a minute.”

“I’ll tell you when it’s OK to look again.” Draco said gently, turning his head back towards the screen but not moving his body from Harry.

…

“The White Wizard… that’s Saruman right? The evil one. Will they be OK?”

“Yeah… listen properly to the voice.” Harry said softly. 

“What…? That’s… that’s Gandalf! So he didn’t die?” Draco questioned.

Harry said nothing, just shrugged slightly as they watched. They’d shifted positions so that Harry was lying on his side with his head in Draco’s lap. Draco was sitting up still occasionally enjoying the desserts but always having at least one hand on Harry, stroking him gently and holding him close. 

“So he did die but he got… sent back?”

Harry sighed inwardly. He’d forgotten how uncomfortable some bits of this film made him. “Yeah… something like that.” He said casually.

He’d tried to keep his voice light but Draco knew him so well now and could sense something there that Harry wasn’t saying.

“What’s wrong?” He asked, running his hand through Harry’s hair.

He sighed out loud this time and sat up slowly. Draco allowed him to move but still kept his arm around him. It ended up resting on his shoulder with his fingers just lightly moving through his hair near his ear.

“I just… I knew that happened, I just forgot how it made me feel the first time. It’s just- I just-” Harry groaned. He knew he wasn’t making any sense and he didn’t know how much to say now. He knew he’d have to talk about this at some point, it was the biggest hurdle he had left to overcome amongst his repressed memories.

“I’m sorry.” He said as Draco stroked his ear. “I can’t talk about this, not now, not tonight. I know I’ll have to. I’m dreading writing that part of the book but… everytime I think about it I feel like I’m having a panic attack. Last time someone brought it up I did. I’m surprised I’m not having one now I just- it’s just- I don’t know.”

“I think you might be a little bit. You’re not breathing. Just breathe OK?” Draco said, cutting through Harry’s thoughts and making him realise he was wildly rambling. “Breathe baby.” Draco said softly in his ear rubbing his back. “We’re not doing anything tonight, we’re just watching a film and relaxing OK?” 

“Hmm.” Harry said breathing normally now. Draco’s soothing voice and physical touch comforted him. It hadn’t been a panic attack, just maybe the beginning of one but Draco had brought him back effortlessly. 

“Come here.” Draco said affectionately, pulling him down again into his lap.

Harry’s head rested in his lap again and he felt safe there. They carried on watching the film as one of Draco’s hands clutched Harry’s waist tightly and the other tangled itself in Harry’s hair and massaged his scalp.

He leaned down and placed a gentle kiss on Harry’s forehead. “You OK?” he mumbled into Harry’s hair.

“Yeah, thanks. Who’s taking care of who now?” He chuckled slightly.

“We take care of each other.” Draco said fondly as he sat back up and his eyes returned to the screen.

…

“When Aragon and Arwen kissed in the first film I really wanted to lean over and kiss you. It was all I could think about.” Draco said affectionately into Harry’s ear as they watched another on-screen kiss between those characters.

Harry was the one leaning back against Draco now, sitting in between his legs with Draco’s arms wrapped around him holding him close. It was really comfortable.

“Yeah, same.” Harry chuckled.

“At least we kissed after.” Draco said as he kissed Harry’s neck.

“Yes we did. It was quite a kiss too.” Harry smiled as he remembered that night. It was most of the reason he’d chosen the second film for this date. He felt like Lord of the Rings was kind of ‘their thing’ now.

“So they’re not together anymore? She went away…? I want them to be together.” Draco moaned cutely.

Harry laughed. “I thought you wanted Aragon and Legolas to be together?” He teased. 

“Well yeah, that would be hot… but Aragon loves Arwen and she loves him. They should be together.”

“So you are a romantic after all? I knew it.” Harry said, turning his head to look at his boyfriend with a smile.

Draco kissed him. “Shut up.” He mumbled against his lips.

…

“Noooo not Aragon, please not Aragon… Harry… I can’t take this. Why did they keep doing this?”

Harry laughed again fondly at Draco’s little pout. “Little tip for you.” He started. “Unless a character’s death is actually confirmed on-screen then they’re probably not dead. Happens all the time.”

“He better not be dead. I’m not watching the third one if he’s not in it.” Draco frowned in a pretend sulk. 

They were both lying on their fronts now side by side facing the screen and propping themselves up on cushions. The candles were still flickering around them providing enough light and the film was illuminating their little patch of countryside. It was really cosy and comfortable.

“I’m starting to get a bit jealous of your crush. Am I not good enough for you?” Harry said playfully poking Draco’s side.

“You're crushing on Legolas just as hard.” Draco pointed out.

“Hmm yeah a little. But I told you, you’re even more gorgeous my hot little elven Prince.” Harry leaned over and mumbled in Draco’s ear and then gave it a playful nibble.

Draco didn’t say anything but he smiled.

“See, he’s alive it’s fine.” Harry said a few moments later. “You can stop worrying now.”

“I wasn’t  _ worrying _ .” Draco insisted.

“Sure you weren’t.” Harry said, rolling his eyes.

“He still looks good when he’s wounded.” Draco said practically drooling.

Harry pretended to be annoyed but he wasn’t really. The whole thing was rather funny. “Yeah, yeah… he’s the perfect specimen of a man, I know.”

“You’re a pretty perfect specimen of a man too you know.” Draco said seductively into Harry’s ear moving his hand slowly under Harry’s hoodie and running his thumb lightly over his skin.

…

“Sad that the young boys had to go into battle too.” Was Draco’s next piece of thoughtful commentary a little while later.

“We had to fight a war when we were practically kids.” Harry said a little sadly. “And ours was real.”

“Yeah guess so. I don’t see how they’re going to win.” Draco said, slightly worried.

Harry smiled. “There’s always hope.”

“Oh the elves are helping, that’s good.”

“Yeah, I love this whole big battle scene. It’s epic.”

“I’ve never seen anything like this.” Draco did seem pretty impressed and Harry could see that for someone who didn’t know what television was until last month it was undoubtedly fascinating. “Films are amazing. I’d like to see more of them.”

“Well we can get more DVD’s. I’d like to take you to the cinema one time too, that's a real experience.” Harry said thinking of more date nights in the future. They had so much more to experience together and he was excited for the future.

…

For a long time nobody spoke. They were just comfortable in the moment with their full attention on the film. Harry was remembering all the reasons why he loved this trilogy the first time round.

“Sam is right you know. I like that.” Draco said thoughtfully as they listened to his narration towards the end.

_ ‘...how can the world go back to the way it was when so much bad has happened? But in the end it’s only a passing thing this shadow, even darkness must pass. A new day will come and when the sun shines it will shine the clearer...’ _

“Yeah this struck a chord with me too the first time but it didn’t really sink in.” Harry replied after a few moments in thought. They were simply sitting up next to each other now with Draco’s arm draped across his shoulder and Harry’s arm around his waist. 

“I think, for a long time, even though the sun was shining in the rest of the world after the war I couldn’t really see it as there was still a dark cloud hanging over me…”

“And now?” Draco prompted after Harry’s spoken thoughts trailed off.

“Now it’s passing, slowly. There is still a shadow of darkness in me, sometimes I worry that it will always be there, that I’ve been through too much for it to simply vanish… but writing the book is really helping actually so who knows… When we get to the end and we publish it, it may have gone.” Harry said quietly voicing things that he hadn't really ever thought it too much detail about.

“I hope so. I know exactly how you feel though, I feel the same.” Draco said quietly, tightening his hold on Harry’s waist and pulling him closer.

“I know you do. That’s why this works, we understand each other.” Harry said softly. He rested his head gently on Draco’s shoulder as he spoke. 

Draco turned his head slightly and brushed the hair off Harry’s forehead to kiss his scar. “Yes we do and together we can shift those dark clouds.”

Harry raised his head slightly and turned it so he could look into Draco’s eyes. “We’ve already started. My world is so much brighter with you in it, Draco.”

Draco was quiet for a moment but he maintained eye contact with Harry and there seemed to be a few different emotions behind those eyes. As with before, the film ended with neither of them paying attention anymore, there were more important things to think about right now. This was the moment, it had to be. 

Harry had promised himself he’d tell Draco on the date and the reality was the date was almost over. Maybe this was the perfect moment though. After all, it was just the two of them here by candlelight. No they weren’t in some massively over the top posh restaurant or typically romantic setting, but this was them. Wearing joggers and jumpers and just being themselves, cosy in this field here together. 

Harry shifted his body to face Draco properly and took his hands in his holding on to them tenderly.

“I wanted to tell you something tonight.” He started softly, his voice steadier than he thought it might be. “I’ve been thinking about telling you all week actually. It’s been driving me crazy but I- I just wanted to make sure you were ready to hear it. I know you’re insecure and I understand that but I need you to know how much you mean to me.” He paused to take a deep breath and was encouraged by Draco’s constant eye contact and the fact that he was holding his hands tightly listening intently to Harry’s words.

“I know it’s really soon and maybe that’s unusual but I don’t really care about what’s normal or not. We’ve been through so much together over seventeen years and it’s been a real rollercoaster. Our lives haven’t been ‘normal’. I’ve known what I’ve wanted for a while but I just didn’t know how to get it. I wanted to be with someone who really knew me, who understood me and who could accept all the different parts of me.”

Harry took another pause but Draco didn’t interrupt. He just patiently waited and held on tight to Harry’s hands as the music from the credits played.

“That person is you Draco. I don’t know why I never saw it before but I think it’s always been you, it just makes so much sense to me now.” Harry admitted sincerely. Draco wasn’t giving much away but Harry had started now and needed to finish. “I don’t want to scare you off but I just need to be honest with you. Honesty is what we promised each other but I want you to know that it’s OK if you're not quite on the same page yet. I know it’s a big deal for you and I understand I really do. I don’t want you to say it back if you're not ready but for me… well on my part…”

He took another deep breath and looked deep into Draco’s eyes. He bought one hand up to gently cup the side of Draco’s face. 

“I love you Draco.” He said simply. “I’m so deeply and head over heels in love with you. I’ve never been in love before but I just know that this is it.”

Harry half waited for Draco to freak out but mostly he was confident that he would accept it and respond when he was ready. Suddenly he noticed a single tear running down his cheek but there was a soft smile resting on his face.

Then something else he didn’t expect happened.

“I love you too Harry.” Draco said quietly but confidently.

Harry’s eyes opened wide in surprise and his throat went dry. “You- you do…?” He asked with uncertainty. His hand dropped from Draco’s face back into his own lap and he just sat there stunned for a moment.

“Yes.” Draco said simply but his smile was growing.

“I- erm, I didn’t actually expect you to say it back.” Harry said, still half in shock.

Draco actually laughed a little at that and he seemed the happiest that Harry had ever seen him. “Neither did I.” He said honestly retaking Harry’s hand in his and holding on tightly. “I had a feeling you’d say it tonight. You’ve nearly said it a couple of times this week I think.”

“Erm, yeah… yeah I have.” Harry stuttered.

Draco smiled again. “I’m glad you waited. I wasn’t ready to hear it then I think, but after talking about everything this morning… yeah I realised I was ready now. I don’t want to sound arrogant but I thought you loved me, but it’s really good to actually hear you say it. My mother saw it too and she told me you’d say it soon. I think you’re right though, I think I needed to hear it, thank you. I know I’m insecure but actually finally hearing it from you in black and white… I can finally let myself believe it.”

Draco hesitated slightly and took a moment to gather his thoughts. This time it was Harry’s turn to just patiently listen to him.

“I actually never thought I’d have this. Sometimes I hoped. Deep down it was what I wanted but it was easier to tell myself it wouldn’t happen because then I would never get hurt if it didn’t.” Draco explained turning his hands over in Harry’s and intertwining their fingers. “I think it was mostly because I never thought myself worthy of being loved. No one has ever told me they loved me before…”

Draco’s voice cracked slightly as he trailed off and another tear rolled down his face. Harry couldn’t just sit back and listen anymore, he felt like his heart was bursting. He leaned forward and practically grabbed Draco kissing his face over the tears and wrapping his arms around him fiercely. 

“You are so worthy of being loved, Draco. You’re incredible. You’re strong and caring, funny and clever. I just love you so much, you’ve changed my whole life. I love you.” He repeated as he planted lots of little kisses all over Draco’s cheek and jaw.

Draco laughed and the sound went straight to Harry’s heart making him smile even more. “Thanks Harry. I know that now and I see that. Anyway, I think I’ve known for a while that my feelings for you are deeper than I cared to admit. That made me feel vulnerable because I knew you could break my heart but I also trust you now that you won't. I trust this. I trust us.” He said leaning into Harry and planting little kisses in return up his neck and onto the corner of his mouth. 

“So yeah I didn’t expect to say it back but as soon as I heard you say it I just knew.” He said sincerely, withdrawing slightly to look at Harry. “I love you.”

Harry felt a tiny threat of tears spilling from his own eyes but he buried his head in Draco’s chest clinging to him fiercely before they could roll down his face.

He couldn’t believe it, it was everything he ever wanted, just to love and be loved in return. Draco loved him. He actually loved him.

“I love you.” He repeated into Draco’s chest. Now he’d said it he couldn’t seem to stop. “I love you, I love you, I love you.” He mumbled clinging onto Draco’s jumper.

Draco laughed again. He pulled back slightly so he could cup Harry’s head and raise it. He held the side of Harry’s head gently and looked right in his eyes as he spoke softly.

“This has been the most incredible date Harry, thank you.” He leaned forwards to plant a soft kiss of Harry’s lips just lingering slightly. 

“Je t’aime mon ange.” He said quietly and Harry’s heart really did burst then.

Perfect. 

This was perfect.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sooooo what did you think?!  
> The 'l' word! Yay!  
> Was it what you expected?!
> 
> Who do you think is more romantic, Harry or Draco?
> 
> If anyone wants to see the shirt Harry wears in the date then it's here: https://www.pinterest.co.uk/pin/764837949209553916/  
> You can also see lots more inspiration on my Pinterest board including other pictures of the date setting the scenes a bit!


	36. Draco: Saturday 29th October-Sunday 30th October

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The end of the date from Draco's perspective and then Molly's birthday gathering at the Burrow.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another nice long one for you and I've been writing all weekend as I was just so excited to get this chapter out!  
> It's my favourite one so far so I won't say anything else other than enjoy! ;)
> 
> This is dedicated to every single one of you who has left a comment on this story! Thank you all!

Harry loved him. As in he really really  _ loved _ him. He thought he did because he was Harry and Harry was just so damn kind and so damn sweet that he just loved everyone but he still hadn’t been quite ready to believe that Harry was  _ in love _ with him. Plus he’d never been in love with anyone else but here he was confessing his love to Draco of all people and Draco was fucking thrilled about it. 

He knew he had a bloody great big grin on his face but he couldn’t help it. He was happy, simple as that. As soon as Harry had started his little speech at the end of the date Draco knew what was coming and he prepared himself for it knowing that he could handle hearing it now after today. But he hadn’t been quite ready for how it would make him feel. When Harry said those four little words ‘I love you Draco’ literally everything in the world just felt right. Draco knew that was a ridiculous cliché thing to think and he bloody hated clichés but he couldn’t help it if it was true. 

There had been so many things going into this that he had been worried about, lots of insecurities that he knew would raise their ugly head but he’d done it anyway because he’d always wanted to know what it would be like to be with Harry. He knew there was a glimmer of hope that maybe they could make each other happy. That maybe they could be right for each other. He just didn’t expect it to be _ this _ right. Loving someone was a big deal for him, or so he thought, but actually when it came to it at that moment, it didn’t seem like it at all. There was part of him now that wondered if he’d loved Harry for years and just pushed it down, passed it off as a crush. 

He didn’t think he’d be able to admit to himself that he was in love with Harry yet let alone say it out loud to his boyfriend. He also knew that, because Harry was just so bloody perfect, he wouldn’t have minded if Draco didn’t say it back. He would just patiently wait until Draco was ready. Thing is though, as soon as he’d heard the words out of Harry’s mouth and it had been a spoken fact rather than just an intangible idea, he felt all of his insecurities, all of his self doubt and all of his worries just fade away. It just became so clear in that moment that of course he bloody loved Harry. Not being in love with him actually felt much more insane than loving him. Loving him was just obvious, it was right. 

Draco’s emotions had definitely got the better of him. How could they not? He was a crier, he knew that, he always had been but he wasn’t ashamed of the tears that rolled down his face when he finally accepted in that moment that he was worthy of being loved and capable of loving in return. He could see the surprise in Harry’s face when he said he loved him too and even though Harry would have accepted Draco not saying it back, he could see in that moment how much it meant to Harry to hear it. He was so proud and beyond happy that he could make Harry happy. He even thought he saw a tear in the corner of Harry’s eye too which was rare for him. 

So they declared their love again, in English and in French, with pet names and kisses and cuddles as they sat there in the British countryside. He’d expected a good date from Harry of course, he knew by now that Harry loved to spoil him and he was more than fine with that. He still hadn’t expected it to be quite like this though. He’d expected some fancy restaurant and he knew Harry had money but somehow the best part of this date had been the thing that hadn’t cost a penny. Well apart from the desserts that is. The effort that Harry had gone to with the blankets, the candles and even down to the cosy loungewear he provided for the film, that was what he really liked. Anyone could take someone to a restaurant. This set up here was just so… Harry.

“It’s quite fitting this isn’t it?” He asked as Harry finally separated himself from Draco having noticed that the film had completely stopped now.

“What is?” Harry replied as he started turning off the electrical stuff and packing things up.

“Well we kissed for the first time at the end of the first film and we confessed our love at the end of the second film… What are we going to do at the end of the third film?” Draco inquired with a little hint of flirtation in his voice.

Harry didn’t miss his tone as he turned to look back at Draco with a twinkle in his eye. “Hmm I dunno, I could think of another first we could do for the third one.” He said suggestively.

Draco crawled towards him not quite wanting to get up because Harry was still on his knees and hoping, maybe, that the crawling would look sexy. Harry was definitely looking at him in an interested way having stopped what he was doing to pay attention to Draco’s movements.

“I don’t think I can wait until we watch the third one. Unless you plan on watching it right now in which case I can’t guarantee that I would pay attention to it.” Draco said, coming close to Harry again now running his hands up the front of Harry’s jumper, over Harry’s strong shoulders and then lacing his fingers together behind Harry’s neck.

Harry was looking at him slightly puzzled but his eyes were definitely getting darker and his breath was slightly hitched when he spoke. 

“Do you mean…? Do you want…? What are you saying?” He asked breathlessly not daring to move. He looked like he wanted to pounce on Draco but was holding back until he made absolutely sure that Draco wanted it.

“I want you Harry.” Draco said clearly looking straight into Harry’s eyes and leaving him with no doubt as to what he wanted. “All of you.”

Harry’s hands were actually shaking slightly as he brought them up to grab the front of Draco’s jumper and pull him closer. Harry pulled so hard that it took Draco by surprise a bit but it was hot how desperately Harry captured his mouth. There was desire and passion as Harry locked onto Draco’s lips and practically devoured him. Draco responded just as fiercely moving back just enough to bite down lightly on Harry’s bottom lip causing him to gasp. Draco wasted no time slipping his tongue in as Harry parted his lips. Sadly at some point they did have to stop to breathe properly.

“Fuck Draco.” Harry choked out as they parted. 

Draco wasn’t stopping though, he never wanted to stop. He continued by planting kisses all over Harry’s jaw rubbing his face softly into that beautiful stubble beard that scratched just the perfect amount to make him  _ feel _ but not enough to hurt. He carried on getting lower, licking and sucking on Harry’s neck over the mark he’d left last night determined not to let it fade. If he had it his way it would be permanent. 

He was buzzing on the high of their date and feeling the most confident he’d felt in years. He knew what he wanted now, he knew Harry wanted it to and he was going to make damn sure they got it. He felt so stupid that he’d even been freaking out about this, what was there to freak out about? Harry wanted him, loved him and he loved and wanted Harry. It was so simple all of a sudden.

“Draco… Draco, wait.” Harry said firmly. Draco reluctantly pulled back to look at him.

“Whaaaat?” He whined. Why would Harry stop this?

“I need to be sure, what are you actually saying?” Harry asked far too sensibly. How could the man even think straight right now?

Draco then remembered last night. He’d been drunk out of his mind but he still remembered what Harry had said. He knew Harry wanted to do this properly because he was the romantic one. He’d talked about having their first time on a bed and taking his time with Draco. Even though there was part of Draco that would quite happily just fuck Harry right now in this field he thought Harry wanted something different. Harry was the sort of man that would want to  _ make love _ to Draco.

Before the idea of  _ making love _ was enough to make Draco feel nauseous. But now the idea of ‘fucking’ Harry just seemed wrong. He loved Harry and he wanted to show him. He was terrified still really and the confidence that he felt a moment ago wavered slightly. This was Harry. Harry who had gone to all this effort to plan such a perfect date. Harry who told someone he was in love with them for the first time and wouldn’t even mind if they didn’t say it back. Harry who was so kind and always put the needs of others first. Harry who literally saved the world and never asked for anything back from it. 

Harry deserved everything and Draco was going to give him exactly what he wanted. He was going to spread him out of the bed and make sure he was comfortable. He was going to take his time preparing him in a way he’d never done with any other lover before. Then he was going to connect with him in the deepest physical level and prove to him how much he loved him.

Suddenly he had his answer. He stilled his desire for a moment and spoke with his heart, placing a gentle hand on the side of Harry’s face.

“I want to make love to you Harry.” He said simply without an ounce of embarrassment. The inward cringe that he thought he’d have with those words just wasn’t there.

Harry stared at Draco for a second seemingly surprised by his choice of words too. He opened his mouth to speak and then closed it again. There was a sea of emotions in those beautiful eyes but Draco wasn’t a hundred percent sure what was going through Harry’s mind. 

“Well then I think we need to get home.” Harry said after a while and his face formed a slightly devilish grin. 

*~*

After that they packed everything up at record speed. Harry said he’d just put everything in Arthur’s shed and sort it out tomorrow. He apparated back and forth from the Burrow a couple of times to take it all because he couldn’t be bothered to walk. Then he grabbed Draco by the waist and whisked him away quickly and thrillingly back home. The force was sudden and strong though and they almost fell over when they got on the doorstep of number twelve.

“Merlin Harry, a little more warning and control next time please.” Draco laughed as Harry hurried to get them inside.

“I’m sorry. I just wanted to get you home so you can make good on your promise.” Harry said, turning quickly and pulling Draco into him in the hallway speaking against his ear.

Draco laughed again, the laughs were coming easy now he was just so carefree and sickenly happy. “Come on then lover boy, let’s get you upstairs.”

“Hmm.” Harry agreed, his eyes darkening again and his face flushed.

They tore up the stairs taking them two at a time. Draco had the long legs but Harry had the fitness levels to overtake him on the stairs and he got to the doorway of their bedroom first. Draco was right behind him though and he slapped him on the arse as Harry opened the door. “I want you naked and spread out on the bed for me.” He said into his ear.

“Fuck.” Harry breathed out and he seemed momentarily stunned in the doorway.

As Harry seemed to forget how to walk, Draco wrapped his arms around him and gently walked him forward kissing him on the back of the neck as they went.

As they got to the bed Harry turned around to face Draco and for a moment they just stood there looking at each other with their arms around each other. There was still anticipation there for sure but they were savouring the moment. Suddenly everything slowed down, a reminder that they had time and they were going to enjoy this properly.

“I love you.” Harry said softly.

“I love you too.” Draco replied sincerely and still relishing the fact that he could say it easily.

Draco held the bottom of Harry’s jumper and pulled it over his head. He then started placing gentle kisses over Harry’s chest.

“Hmm I fucking love your chest Harry.” He mumbled against Harry’s warm skin. He’d been avoiding the word ‘love’ in a lot of contexts but now he just wanted to show Harry he loved everything about him. Absolutely everything.

Harry didn’t reply but his hands were still all over Draco and he was encouraging him with all those little sounds that Draco liked. He was definitely taking his time, enjoying exploring Harry like the very first time he’d seen him topless, licking, kissing, sucking each nipple in turn extracting more little moans from Harry. Harry wasn’t particularly vocal, Draco was the sensitive one who was definitely louder but Draco was determined to get more of a reaction out of Harry tonight.

He dropped to his knees and gently pulled down Harry’s joggers and boxers together kissing down each thigh as he went. Harry helped him by raising each foot in turn and kicked the rest of his clothes away. Draco teased Harry a little, he had to have some fun after all and Harry did say he wanted them to take their time. Eventually though he did take Harry’s perfect cock in his mouth which had become of his favourite things to do recently.

Harry seemed to like it very much too but perhaps a bit too much as after a while he pulled back saying that he didn’t want to get too close like this. Harry stripped Draco of his clothes next but a bit quicker than he had done for Harry. Harry pushed Draco down onto the bed and wasted no time going down on him.

“Salazar Harry you’re so good at that.” Draco said, not holding back anything tonight. The last of his barriers had well and truly shattered and it felt so liberating.

“Yeah? You like me sucking your cock?” Harry asked breathlessly, pulling back slightly and talking to Draco in between more little licks and kisses.

“Don’t ask stupid questions Harry.” Draco said bucking his hips slightly into Harry and just lightly holding the back of Harry’s head, his fingers tangled in that mop of hair.

“I wanna be inside of you Harry… I need it baby… please.” He blabbered out and begged unashamedly. 

Harry let out a moan of satisfaction. “Yes.” He said desperately crawling back up Draco’s body to look at him. “You know I’ll always give you what you ask for my Prince.”

Draco held on to him tight and flipped them both so that Harry was the one on his back on the mattress and Draco straddled him. He leaned down to kiss him, it started out passionate and fierce but he forced himself to ease it slightly and soften things up. As he withdrew he looked into his boyfriend's eyes just wanting to maintain that open communication that was so important to them.

“Are you sure you’re OK with it this way round?” He asked softly.

“Yes. I want it. I want you.” Harry insisted but his voice was loving and gentle. “I want you in every way possible. I want to explore everything with you but I’m hoping we have forever to do it. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t want to top for you and I’m hoping that you will let me eventually but there’s no hurry. I just feel lucky to have you in any way I can get you and I definitely want this. Of course I want this Draco.”

“OK.” Draco said simply tracing his finger down the side of Harry’s face. “How long has it been? I don’t want to hurt you.” He asked. 

He was burning with desire but it was important to him to do this properly. In a way this was a first for both of them. Yes the mechanics of sex were the same with any guy but this was the first time either of them had a boyfriend or been in love.

“It’s been a while, erm, I dunno, over a year.” Harry estimated. “But I’ll be fine, you won’t hurt me. I have a high pain tolerance anyway.”

“Alright, but I’ll try and go slow. I’m not used to going slow to be honest so you have to tell me if it’s too much or something.” Draco said, feeling a little uncertain again.

“I will, I promise my love.” Harry said every so sweetly in a way that melted Draco and made him believe it. The term of endearment went straight to Draco's heart and reminded him of everything they felt.  “I’m going to make this so good for you babe.” Draco whispered into Harry’s ear.

Harry let out another breathy sound that sent shivers down Draco’s spine. “I know you will.” He said before capturing Draco in another steamy kiss. 

Then Harry reached into his bedside drawer and got a cylindrical bottle which he pressed into Draco’s hands. Draco could see the trust that Harry had in him and he could tell how much Harry wanted him to do this. It gave him strength and confidence. He took the bottle and squeezed a liberal amount in his fingers as Harry got comfortable and positioned a pillow under his hips to raise him up slightly. They hadn’t discussed a position but Harry seemed happy like that and Draco was pleased. He wanted to be able to see him properly and kiss him throughout. Not something he usually did with lovers but Harry wasn’t just any lover.

Draco wondered where his wand had got to in the half frantic undressing but then Harry took care of the spells because of course he could do wandless sex spells. He did mutter the incantations though. Whether he couldn’t do them non-verbally or whether he just wanted Draco to know he’d taken care of the mundane but important cleaning and protection side of things Draco didn’t know but it didn’t matter. 

He leaned back and just had to take a moment to look at Harry properly. What he saw made him physically groan out loud. It was quite literally the hottest sight he’d ever seen. Even though he’d seen Harry naked loads of time by now having him on the bed ready for him like this was something else entirely.

“Sweet Salazar Harry you look so fucking hot like this. I can’t believe you're mine.” He said quite honestly. 

How many times had he pictured this scenario over the years? Now he was actually about to fuck Harry Potter, the man of his dreams, literally. It was quite overwhelming. 

“I’m yours Draco.” Harry said, eyes dark and voice breathy with anticipation. He was oozing desire and it made Draco feel so good knowing how much Harry wanted him.

Those words played over in Draco’s mind as he prepared Harry.  _ ‘I’m yours Draco’ _ . The thing is, Harry really was his right now as he writhed under Draco’s touch. Preparation for Draco before had always been frustrating. It was the hurried thing you did out of necessity before getting to the part of sex that you actually wanted, but now he realised he would be happy just continuing to finger Harry open whilst distracting him by sucking him off at the same time. It was amazing to see Harry’s body respond to him and know that he was the one causing Harry pleasure in this way. He wasn’t even physically getting off himself at the moment but it didn’t matter because mentally he was the most aroused he’d ever been in his life. 

Harry was watching him intently, unable to draw his eyes away. “God Draco you look so good.”

“Yeah? You enjoying the view?” He said with a sinful look back up at Harry.

“You have no idea.” Harry panted. 

He wasn’t being that vocal with his noises but Draco could tell by the look in his eyes that he was enjoying every moment of it. That was why he kept looking back at him, not really for reassurance but just because he loved the way Harry looked at him. 

Harry was taking him beautifully and asked for more a couple of times. Draco was just enjoying the moment, taking care of Harry and just listening to him. He’d never had this much communication during sex before but he realised now how important it was now as they kept checking in with each other.

Finally the words came that Draco was waiting for, as Harry leaned down a little and cupped Draco’s chin drawing it off his leaking cock and gently forcing him to make eye contact. 

“I’m ready Draco, I need you, please.” Harry begged and oh how nice it was to hear Harry beg for him. 

How many times had he heard Harry say that in his mind and now it was really happening. But it wasn’t happening in some alcove in Hogwarts or some bathroom stall or in a bar. It was happening on _their_ _bed_ where they would cuddle and sleep after. Where they would wake up together tomorrow and tell each other all other again how much they loved each other. 

“Yes. yes, Harry.” Draco choked out breathlessly. “I need to kiss you first.” He found himself saying as he crawled back up Harry’s body and he was waiting for him.

They kissed like never before, full of desire, full of incredible anticipation, full of love and understanding for this day, this moment and all the moments to come. 

“I love you so fucking much Harry. I’m gonna show you how much.” He blabbered love a lusty lovesick fool as they kissed. 

“Yes. Show me.” Harry replied in between kisses as Draco lined himself up.

It just seemed perfect to kiss Harry as he pushed himself forward into him as if they couldn’t possibly do this any other way. He wanted to be as close to Harry as he could get. He wanted to feel him everywhere all at once.

“Argh- Merlin, Harry. You feel so good.” He mumbled against his lips as they connected. 

He’d never been like this with any other man. Before, he could never quite bite back the noises, as much as he did try, but he definitely didn’t talk. Now thought he couldn’t stop talking. He couldn’t stop telling Harry how good he felt as he moved inside him. How perfect he was taking him and how much he loved him. It was a good job he had told Harry for the first time as part of an actual conversation, otherwise he definitely would have blabbered it out now during sex. 

Draco went slow at first which he thought would be hard but in some ways it was even better to prolong the moment and savour the feelings. It was delicious torture. Harry told him when to move and when to go faster and Draco loved hearing him. He was amazing at encouraging him and telling him how good Draco was making him feel. As they upped the pace Harry started moving back against Draco. He was holding his hips so tightly now that Draco was sure there would be little circular marks there left from Harry’s fingers tomorrow which thrilled him. 

“Fuck Harry this is…” Draco started several sentences and wasn’t always able to finish them. “Is it just me... or has sex never felt like this…? I think I’ve been doing it wrong.” He confessed semi-incoherently against Harry’s ear as he felt Harry’s deliciously sweaty locks of hair on his forehead. They were both hot and flustered in the best possible way.

Harry chuckled but otherwise seemed incapable of speech now. Draco could feel Harry’s now neglected erection pressing into his stomach. He loved being this close to Harry and pressing down against his chest but he also wanted to properly take care of Harry. He raised himself up slightly and leaned back separating himself from Harry’s chest.

He was able to pick up the pace like this and brush against Harry’s prostate in every stroke. Harry had already told him that he wasn’t that sensitive but there was no doubt about the fact that he was still getting satisfaction from this. Draco then grasped Harry’s erection to stroke him hard with the rhythm he was setting with his hips, making Harry’s moans increase in volume and intensity.

His favourite thing was to watch Harry come undone under him as he was slowly getting more sweaty, more flustered and more incoherent. Draco was doing this to him, Draco was making him feel like this and that thrilled him more than anything.

“Dra- Draco, close. Fuck.” Harry mumbled.

Thank Merlin for that because Draco was chasing his orgasm too and his stamina was being challenged already. He could usually last longer but Harry was just something else in the best possible way. The moment Harry arched his back slightly and spilled into his hand was glorious especially as he cried out Draco’s name. Or tried to anyway as he couldn’t quite get it all out and ended up just calling him ‘Dray’ several times.

Seeing Harry liked that was all he needed to find his own release. He came hard deep into the man he loved and it was genuinely one of the best moments of his life as cheesy as that sounded in his head. There were just so many feelings in that moment and after always dismissing any sort of feelings during sex it was a lot to process. He pulled out slowly and collapsed onto Harry knowing that his ripped sexy boyfriend could take his weight. Suddenly in his post-orgasmic bliss he found himself getting teary again as he buried his face into Harry’s neck.

“I fucking love you Harry.” He choked out. 

Harry could hear his voice cracking and pulled back to try and see his face.

“Hey, you OK?” He asked, getting his breath back.

“Hmm.” Draco nodded. “Just a bit overwhelmed.” He said honestly, flushing slightly with embarrassment of his confession but knowing that being honest with Harry was always the right thing.

“Oh my sweet Draco.” Harry said affectionately, wrapping his arms around him tightly. “I love you too. That was just so perfect. Thank you.” Harry was pressing sweet little kisses all over the side of Draco’s face, up his cheek and onto his forehead as he stroked his hair gently. 

Draco was actually lost for words now which was the opposite of the talkative blubbering mess he’d been during sex. He’d never felt this close to one person, this  _ loved _ . It was everything he hoped it would be and yet so much more than he ever understood it  _ could  _ be.

There weren’t really any more words after that though, there didn’t need to be. For the first time in his life Draco just lay there and  _ cuddled _ after sex... and he liked it. 

*~*

Eventually Draco returned to himself a bit more and pulled his emotions together. It hadn’t mattered that they hadn’t cleaned up after themselves at first but after a while he became aware of the unpleasant side of it.

“Shower.” He grumbled into Harry.

“No.” Harry insisted softly. “Bath.”

Draco pulled back to look at Harry. “A bath sounds heavenly actually. We haven’t had a bath together yet.”

“I know.” Harry said smiling. “And I happen to know a really sexy guy who makes the best bath products.”

“Sexy huh?” Draco asked with a smirk.

“So fucking sexy.” Harry replied with a twinkle still in his eye.

Draco chuckled and finally got off Harry holding his hand out to pull him up. “Upstairs bath? Will it fit both of us?” Their ensuite definitely had the best shower but it didn’t have a bath.

Harry looked at him blankly for a moment and frowned. “Have you not been in the main bathroom yet?” He asked, surprised.

“Erm no.” Draco said, confused. “I’d forgotten there was one to be honest. I’ve just been going upstairs for a bath.”

“I really should have shown you around properly when you first moved in.” Harry chuckled. “I just assumed you’d have looked in all the rooms by now.”

“Guess I haven’t needed to. I just forget how many rooms this place has. You must have a lot you don’t use.” Draco said grabbing his wand and doing a quick cleaning spell on both of them just for now.

“We.” Harry corrected with a smile. “ _ We _ have a lot of rooms we don’t use.” Draco didn’t reply but he smiled. He did sometimes still think of this house as Harry’s but he loved the effort Harry went to to ensure it was theirs. Harry summoned theirs towels from the open en-suite and passed Draco his whilst he secured his own around his waist. He turned slightly serious before he addressed Draco again.

“Talking about the number of spare rooms.” He started slightly nervously. “I was wondering what you thought about possibly giving Teddy a room here. I- it’s… well it’s something that I’ve wanted to do for a while but I- erm, I wasn’t really in the right place to look after Teddy overnight. The potions or the alcohol knocked me out too much but now… well, now I could and it might be nice for Dromeda to have a night off once in a while. And your mum too now I guess.”

Draco smiled, he couldn’t help himself. He actually thought he could quite love Teddy too, he was a good kid and he definitely liked how much Harry loved him. It was the sweetest thing. “I think that would be really nice Harry. Teddy would love to have a sleepover here I’m sure and I’d like to spend more time with him.”

“Yeah?” Harry asked, visibly relaxing.

“Of course.” Draco insisted.

“Thank you.” Harry said softly, stepping forward to give Draco a soft romantic kiss. “I’m so happy right now Draco.”

“Good.” Draco replied, rubbing a gentle hand down Harry’s back. “I’m happy too. Come on, let’s go have that bath. What’s the main bathroom like then?”

“Massive bath, with jets and everything.” Harry said with a grin. 

Harry led the way and Draco’s jaw dropped slightly when he saw the bath in question which was in the main bathroom just next door to the master bedroom on the third floor. “Potter! What the actual fuck? You showed me the one upstairs before this one?”

“Well the one upstairs was the one next to your room when you moved in. It was just convenient. I kind of forgot about this one but I did tell you there was a main bathroom. Not my fault you chose not to explore. I would have definitely explored.” Harry pointed out.

“Yes, you would have done because you're a nosy git.” Draco grumbled. “I can’t believe you didn’t give me a proper tour of this place. What else are you hiding?”

“No more surprises.” Harry laughed. “Two smaller bedrooms on this floor. Was thinking of giving one of those to Teddy. The other two bigger bedrooms upstairs you’ve seen and the only other spare room is now your office.”

Harry started running the bath as Draco went to grab some bath salts and bubble bath. One his way back he actually opened the two other doors on this floor that had been shut ever since he moved in. They were just completely blank white rooms, no furniture, no decorations but a decent size and a nice blank canvas. Teddy would probably get really excited about having a room here and they could decorate it however he wanted. The thought warmed Draco’s once cold heart and he couldn’t help thinking of what the other spare room on this floor could be used for. 

He knew Harry wanted his own children, it was just obvious but they hadn't actually discussed it. They probably should. Draco had long since accepted that if Harry wanted children then he would get on board but now he found that he really wanted them for himself too. He’d changed so much in the last month and part of him was scared about not recognising the person he’d become but he knew he’d changed for the better and he was happy. That was all that mattered.

He returned to the bathroom to find Harry running the bath and Draco passed him the products as he perched on the edge of the tub. He was quiet, just enjoying watching Harry and thinking of all they had in their lives and all they could have in the future. Yes, he could definitely find himself marrying and having children with Harry, he thought to himself. Once the thought of a commitment on that level would have scared him but his last concern, his last barrier had well and truly vanished after today. How could it not when the day had just been so utterly perfect. When Harry was just so perfect.

From here on in it was going to be good he could tell. He was in this properly now with both feet and he didn’t have a care in the world as long as he was with Harry and he would be with Harry forever because he was never ever going to let him go. He would do anything to keep him but somehow he didn’t think it would come to that. He didn’t think Harry would be going anywhere anytime soon. 

The bath was full and Harry dropped his towel to climb in but Draco was still deep in thought until Harry poked him in the leg. “You getting in or what?!”

Draco smiled and climbed in the bath opposite Harry stretching out his legs either side of Harry.

“What were you thinking about?” Harry asked him softly.

Draco smiled at him a soft genuine smile that reached into his eyes and found his hand under the water. “I was thinking about how I don’t have any worries anymore.”

“You don’t?” Harry said tilting his head slightly and smiling broadly.

“No.” Draco said simply. “Like I said, I wanted this, I wanted you but I knew it would be hard. I did have a long list of things I was worried about… but now, well now they’re all gone.” He said, shrugging. “I’m actually just really truly happy probably for the first time in my life and I actually really believe now that this will all be fine.”

Harry breathed in deeply and looked a tiny bit emotional not for the first time that day. “You have no idea how happy that makes me my love.” His voice was soft and full of admiration when he spoke and Draco was even happier knowing that Harry’s happiness was so tied to his.

“You called me Dray when you came.” Draco said with a grin after a few moments of comfortable silence.

“Oh right, yeah sorry.” Harry mumbled and looked a bit embarrassed.

“I liked it.” Draco replied smiling at the look of surprise on Harry’s face.

“You did? I thought you hated nicknames?” Harry said almost teasingly.

Draco just shrugged again playfully. “You’ve always been the exception to my rules. I think you could call me anything and I’d like it.” 

“Excellent. I can’t wait to call you Dray in front of Blaise. Please say I can.” Harry said with a grin of his own.

“That’s one of the names you can say in front of Blaise but no ‘sweetie’ or ‘babe’.” Draco warned with a bit of a look.

Harry chuckled. “No promises babe.” He said with a playful splash in Draco’s direction.

“Oh you’re in for it now Potter.” Draco said, splashing him back. 

*~*

The happiness and absolute contentment in Draco still hadn’t eased the next day as they prepared to go to the Burrow even though this visit was something Draco had been worrying about since they started this whole relationship. Suddenly everything was just so simple in his world in a way it had never been before. He just felt so close to Harry. He hadn’t know sex could improve a relationship that much beyond just pleasure but it was so much more than that. They were a hundred percent connected now. 

The morning was full of more playful little touches and Harry was obviously still thinking about last night as he was being very flirtatious. He could tell Harry had been holding back slightly because he’d known of course that Draco still had some physical barriers in place. Now that he didn’t have those they were free to be completely themselves with each other. 

They spent most of the morning making a big chicken, leek and ham pie together to take with them. Harry had informed him that Molly’s birthday was the one day of the year that she didn’t cook on everyone else’s insistence. Over the years a tradition has developed where everyone brings something to eat and they just have it buffet style. Harry concentrated on the filling as Draco did the pastry which was something he actually knew how to do now having made a couple of treacle tarts. He found he enjoyed making pastry, it was quite therapeutic.

Being in the kitchen with Harry was nice and they worked well together. It was really good to bring something they had an equal part in making and Draco felt quite proud of the little pastry leaves he’d made on the top of the pie. Presentation was beginning to be his thing in the kitchen too as it wasn’t something Harry always worried about. Harry was definitely the king of flavour though.

The other small part of the morning had been taken up with Harry floo calling Ginevra as she was the last Weasley to be told about the identity of Harry’s new boyfriend. Apparently it hadn’t gone that well. Draco got the impression that she very much still saw him as the bully junior Death Eater he’d been at school and he couldn’t blame her for that. Harry reckoned she wouldn't cause any trouble for them but she would just be weary and really that was a better reaction that he could have wished for.

He was still a little anxious about going to the Weasleys' home of course, he wanted to make a good impression but he absolutely knew now that their relationship would still be OK at the end of it. Whatever the visit brought up they could cope with it together and it wouldn’t split them up.

The pie was wrapped up and ready to go and Harry was putting his shoes on in the hallway when Draco came down the stairs with the gift basket in hand.

“What’s that?” Harry asked. 

“Mrs Weasley’s present.” Draco answered as if it was obvious.

“You made her a gift basket?” Harry asked, surprised.

“Of course.” Draco replied. “It is her birthday isn’t it? That’s generally what people do. You weren't serious when you said that I was her gift from you were you?!”

“Kind of.” Harry shrugged sheepishly. “It’s what she said she wanted. I wasn’t planning on getting her anything else she wouldn’t mind. But that’s really sweet of you to make her something.”

“I signed the gift tag from both of us.” Draco informed him.

Harry smiled. “Now that I have you, will you take care of everyone’s birthday and Christmas gifts?”

“Well I might have to seeing as you seem to be useless at it.” Draco said, raising his eyebrows slightly.

Harry wasn’t the least bit offended. They’d always been able to laugh at each other and make little digs. “Excellent. I knew there was a reason to keep you around.” 

“Is that the only reason?” Draco huffed pretended to be upset.

Harry had finished putting his shoes on now and he stood up grabbing Draco by the arse and bringing him close. “I can think of a few other reasons, one being the mind blowing sex.”

“Mind blowing?” Draco prompted with a smirk. Harry had told him several time last night and again this morning exactly what he thought of the sex they had shared but Draco wasn’t quite sick of hearing it yet.

“Mind blowing, incredible, phenomenal, breathtaking… pick any adjective you want.” Harry said grinding his hips into Draco slightly.

Draco was still holding the gift basket with one hand but with the other he gently pushed Harry away. “Potter if you get me hard when we’re about to go and see your family then you’re never getting laid again.”

Harry immediately stepped back and held his hands up in surrender. Draco softened his voice slightly but he still gave Harry a look to tell him he was only half joking. “I mean it. No teasing today.”

“Alright, yeah I know.” Harry said in a way that let Draco know his message had sunk in. Harry smiled at him softly. “You ready?”

Draco took a deep breath. “Ready as I’ll ever be.”

“Remember, just be yourself. The real you, the man that I fell in love with.” Harry said kindly, stepping slightly forward again and just giving him a gentle closed mouth kiss on the lips. “If it gets too much for you then feel free to go for a little walk if you need or just come and find me and we can come home.”

Draco just nodded and smiled before they headed out the door together.

*~*

Harry took them to the top of the hill with The Burrow just in view so they could walk the short distance together. He said he often did this just to take a breather before he got into the hustle and bustle of the place and Draco found himself grateful for it. He’d been warned by Harry that it was quite a loud and chaotic environment which did worry him. It certainly wasn’t what he was used to but it was only for one afternoon. He could do this for Harry. He’d do anything for Harry.

As they got closer he could already hear the noise of a happy family environment. Part of him was intrigued about that, it had been something he’d always wanted truthfully but never been a part of. There was no one round the front of the country building. Harry opened the front door for him which led straight into the kitchen where Mrs. Weasley was.

She immediately engulfed Harry in a hug and it was evident to Draco how much she loved him which was nice to see. 

“Happy birthday Molly.” Harry said, returning her hug. 

“Thank you sweetie.” She replied and then she turned to Draco.

He felt himself stiffen up slightly but her smile seemed genuine even if it was a lot smaller than the one she gave Harry.

“Hello Draco dear, thank you for coming.” She spoke in a quite formal way but it was friendly. 

“Thank you for inviting me Mrs Weasley, it means a lot.” He said sincerely. “And Happy Birthday, this is for you from us both.” He said passing her the gift basket.

“None of that Mrs. Weasley nonsense, call me Molly.” She insisted. She took the gift basket from him and seemed genuinely really impressed by it. “Oh wow, this looks beautiful. Is it from the same place you got Hermione’s Harry? You really shouldn’t have, it looks far too expensive.”

“Ah well, when your boyfriend owns the business it helps a lot.” Harry said with a grin.

Molly seemed surprised by that revelation. “You own that shop Draco? That is impressive at such a young age.”

“Thank you. Yes, it’s my shop. I built it up from an owl order business.” He explained slightly humbly but he was proud of his business and it was a safe conversation topic.

“So you make all the products too?” Molly asked him wide eyed as she looked over the contents of the basket.

“Most yes. I do have an assistant now but they are still all my formulations and recipes. This basket I made myself.” He explained.

“Well that it’s good to have a passion and you’ve clearly worked hard at your business.” Molly said politely, setting the basket on the counter.

“He does work really hard and he’s very clever and talented.” Harry boasted proudly making Draco blush slightly. “We bought a chicken pie.” He announced holding it up.

“Oh this looks lovely Harry, thank you.” She said taking it from him.

“Joint effort.” Harry said, turning and smiling at Draco. “Draco made the pastry.”

Just then two sets of footsteps came round the corner into the kitchen and the voices of the twins rang out.

“What’s this now?”

“You turning Draco into a domestic God too?”

Fred and George leaned against the counters side by side smiling fondly.

“Oh how cute Georgie they made a pie together.” Fred teased.

“You know what they say Freddie, a couple who makes pie together stays together.” George teased too but with a fondness in his voice.

“Well I think it’s lovely and at least they can cook unlike you boys.” Molly replied, giving them each a playful tap on the shoulder with her free hand as she passed.

“Mum you told us you didn’t want us to cook anything!” They insisted together.

“I would welcome something you actually cooked properly, just not those joke puddings you made last year.” She said with a scowl as she made to take the pie out to where Draco presumed the buffet table was.

“Well we promise we actually bought them this year from the bakery.” George called out after her but he winked at Harry and Draco once her back was turned.

“We might have just tampered with them slightly after we bought them.” Fred muttered once his mother had left the kitchen.

George gave Harry a big hug which he accepted but Draco noticed that Fred didn’t greet him in that way. He simply gave him a friendly nod of the head from a distance which seemed kind of awkward. Then both the twins stepped forward to give Draco a hug at the same time which he was not expecting and they each spoke into one of his ears as he did so. 

“We’re only warning you because it’s your first visit-”

“-and we genuinely want this to go well for you-”

“-so don’t eat the cream horns-”

“-or the custard tarts!”

“Noted, thanks.” Draco said as they stepped away.

“You doing OK mate?” Fred asked him with one hand on his shoulder. He did genuinely seem like he wanted this to go well for him which Draco was grateful for.

“I think so.” He answered honestly with a half smile. “Guess we’ll see.”

“We had a bit of a chat with mum and dad this morning. They were surprised but we told them that we’ve been friends with you for a while now and that you’ve changed a lot. Reckon it helped.” Fred said casually.

“Well thank you for that.” Draco replied, smiling. 

“Yeah I told them about how good friends you are with Daphne and how highly she speaks of you.” George said with a smile but Draco thought his smile was slightly forced and there seemed to be some pain behind it. 

“You and Daphne had more of a chance to talk yet?” He asked carefully.

George shrugged and outwardly seemed unphased but Draco was good at reading people. “Not really. She’s still busy I guess… or she’s just avoiding me. Guess we’ll find out after tomorrow!” He chuckled but Fred gave him a slightly worried glance.

Draco battled with himself for a moment but spoke regardless, giving George’s shoulder a little squeeze. “I’ll have a chat with her after the wedding but just be patient with her. She likes you, I know she does.”

George sighed slightly. “Yeah… cheers mate. I’m not going anywhere anyway.”

There was a slight awkward pause but Fred was always the one to bring the mood back back up. “Anyway, the party is happening out the back as always. We’ve got the marquee up again, come on.” He went to leave the kitchen but just before he did he called back over his shoulder. “Nice hickey by the way Harry. Good work Draco.” With that he left the room.

George chuckled and followed him.

Draco turned to his boyfriend with a bit of a grin and noticed his face was slightly flushed. Harry self-consciously raised his hand to his neck. “I thought this collar would be high enough to cover it.” He muttered.

“Not quite.” Draco said happily before he boldly followed the twins out of the room.

*~*

His confidence wavered slightly as he caught sight of how many people were out in the garden but Harry caught up with him and grabbed his hand squeezing it lightly. They stepped out into the garden together and Draco felt lots of pairs of eyes on him all at once. There was a slight awkward moment where nobody spoke as they all seemed to be waiting for someone else to make the first move. 

Then suddenly out of nowhere there was an excited squeal and Draco felt a small child run into his legs and wrap their arms around him.

“Dwaaaaaco!”

He immediately felt happier and more at ease as he knelt down to give Teddy a proper cuddle, temporarily letting go of Harry’s hand to do so.

“Hey buddy.” He said softly. Teddy seemed to be trying to fit in with all of the Weasleys today by sporting bright orange hair but he was still recognisable.

“Your mummy has been living with me.” Teddy said happily to Draco.

“I know. How’s that going? Is she being nice to you?” He said thinking that it was a strange world when he was happy talking to a seven year old child to prologue the greetings from the rest of the adults. 

“She doesn’t talk much but she is nice.” Teddy said simply and shrugged non-committedly. 

“Do I get a hug or are they just reserved for Draco now?” Harry said leaning down to Teddy too next to Draco.

Teddy mumbled a sheepish apology to Harry and gave him a big cuddle before running away back to where Draco could see two younger girls playing on the grass. Harry had spoken enough about all the Weasleys that he knew these to be Victoire and Dominique. Their parents were sitting on a wooden bench nearby. Bill was looking over at Draco curiously but Fleur was engaged with baby Louis in her arms.

Molly had placed the pie on the long table in the marquee and was fussing over the buffet rearranging certain plates. Aunt Dromeda was helping her but she did look up at Draco with a friendly smile and a nod of the head. Fred and George were getting everyone drinks. Hermione and Ron were standing with Charlie and looking over at Draco warily but heading his way now was Mr. Weasley.

He went to Harry first giving him a fond handshake and clap on the shoulder. “Harry, son, nice to see you again as always.”

“Afternoon.” Harry greeted in a friendly manner. He took Draco’s hand again and gave it a squeeze. He smiled encouragingly at Draco and turned back to Mr. Weasley. “Arthur, you remember Draco I’m sure.”

Draco didn’t miss the way that Mr. Weasley tensed slightly as he turned towards him but he stuck his hand out for a handshake anyway and gave him a small polite smile. “Of course. Good to see you again Draco.”

“Thank you for having me, Mr. Weasley. It’s good to see you too.” Draco replied politely, taking his hand.

“Just Arthur is fine.” He said back still slightly stiffly and then he mumbled something about going to tell Ginny that everyone was here and walked back into the house.

Draco was a bit taken aback by the short interaction. It was obvious that Arthur wasn’t completely comfortable with him being here but then Draco wasn’t a hundred percent comfortable being here so it worked both ways. It would take time.

Just then the twins came back and George passed him a glass of white wine. Draco thanked him but was mildly distracted by Fred pressing a beer into Harry’s hand and stopping to whisper something in his ear. Something that made Harry look at him softly all glassy eyed and smiled. Then Fred glanced at Draco, smiled and walked off towards Charlie. He loudly roped Charlie and then Bill into a game with the children which Teddy seemed excited about. George wandered off to take Bill’s seat next to Fleur and then was cuddling a cute baby Louis. Draco couldn’t help but think George looked much more comfortable holding a baby than he would have thought but his mind wasn’t on that at the moment.

“What did Fred just say?” He turned and spoke quietly to Harry trying to keep his voice casual.

Harry smiled at him and replied instantly. “He said that this is what he’d always wanted for me. To have a proper guy by my side at a family gathering in a way that he never could be.”

“Oh.” Draco said simply feeling relieved, happy and a bit foolish all at once.

“I know the possessive jealous side of you is still there and I’m not expecting it to go away overnight but I’ve told you repeatedly there is nothing to worry about with Fred or anyone else so you need to learn to trust that OK?” Harry said softly and then he gave Draco a chaste kiss on the cheek aware that there were still lots of sets of eyes on them. 

“I know, I’m sorry. I do trust you.” Draco said quietly back and full of sincerity. 

“I do kind of like you being possessive though, Dray. I like being yours.” He whispered slightly in his ear. He squeezed his hand again lightly. “Come on, let’s go find Ron and Hermione.” He said a bit louder and started to lead the way.

Ron and Hermione were standing alone now, just on the edge of the open sided marquee with their drinks just watching Harry and Draco interact. By their feet a little girl was playing with blocks on a rug who he assumed to be Rose. He had to admit that she was really cute with her blue eyes and slightly frizzy ginger hair.

“Hey guys.” Harry said happily, letting go of Draco’s hand to give them both a hug. 

This was a really weird moment for Draco. How many times at school had he watched this trio together and secretly longed to be a part of it? Now here he was years later walking up to them and waiting to be reintroduced as Harry’s boyfriend. They were a foursome now, it was almost unbelievable and he was reminded how crazy lucky he was again to be with Harry. He’d seen Ron already of course last week but it was within an auror capacity and he had been very professional. Here was friend Ron, husband Ron, dad Ron with his family. It was strange. He hadn’t changed in appearance at all really other than just looking slightly older which was obvious, but he had definitely matured and grown up. 

“So guys, meet my boyfriend.” Harry said with a grin. “You might think you know him but this is the new revised edition.” He teased slightly.

Ron actually laughed at that. “You’re telling me. I was still expecting the poncy stuck up guy from school, couldn’t see why you would want to be with him. Let’s just say I saw a different side to him on Friday.” He spoke to Harry but he looked over at Draco with an actual smile.

Draco flushed slightly. He was definitely still embarrassed at that but it seemed like it had made Ron feel more at ease with him so he supposed that made his embarrassment worth it. “Yeh sorry about that.” He started speaking to Ron. “I was rather inebriated and I confess I don’t remember you being there.”

“No worries mate. That made my year. Although I could have done without seeing the massive hickey you left.” He said gesturing towards Harry’s neck. “Still there I see.” He said wrinkling his nose up slightly. 

Harry just shrugged and turned to Draco with a grin. It seemed like he felt a bit embarrassed by the mark in front of Molly but Draco could definitely tell there was a part of him that liked it being there.

“So this is really real then. You two?” Ron said gesturing between them both.

“Yes. I love him.” Draco said straight away without an ounce of hesitation and a perfectly serious tone of voice.

Suddenly he felt three sets of surprised eyes on him. Harry was looking at him slightly open mouthed as if he really hadn’t expected Draco to say that but then a really soft shy smile crept onto his face. Ron had both eyebrows raised and seemed speechless. When the next voice spoke it came from Hermione who so far had been a silent observer.

“You love him?” She questioned but it was quite blank and expressionless, not said in the sceptical tone that Draco might have expected.

“Yes, I love him.” Draco repeated looking straight at Hermione. He felt Harry’s hand slip into his again. 

“Wow.” Ron muttered under his breath. He looked up at Draco and spoke slightly louder. “Going to be honest I didn’t expect that. I don’t really know how you are anymore.” He said with a slight awkward chuckle.

“Well I look forward to getting to know you properly.” Draco said sincerely.

“Yeah sure mate.” Ron said slightly dazed. “That, erm, that letter was… er, well thanks I guess. And erm, you know, I’m sorry too or whatever.” He stuttered as the tips of his ears flushed beetroot red.

Draco didn’t say anything, it was slightly awkward and he wasn’t about to stand here and have a whole conversation about feelings with Ron fucking Weasley of all people. He simply stuck his hand out for a handshake and Ron actually took it straight away looking slightly relieved. Probably because he didn’t really want to say too much with words either. Harry was looking back and forth between them with a massive smile but seemed slightly too stunned for words. His hand was still firmly holding onto Draco’s left one and he even planted a soft little kiss on Draco’s shoulder over his shirt. 

Hermione hadn't really said anything else and was still not giving a lot away. She turned to Harry. “And do you love him?” She asked bluntly.

“Of course.” Harry replied instantly as if it was just obvious. Draco gave his hand a little squeeze back.

“Right.” Hermione said. “Well I guess that’s that then.” She said simply. She turned towards Draco and looked at him sternly. 

“You have no idea how long I’ve wanted Harry to walk in here with a nice man on his arm who he is ready to introduce us to and who he loves. If anyone deserves to be loved it’s him. He’s done so much for everyone else and he deserves all the happiness in the world. If you give that to him then I will welcome you with open arms regardless of the past, I trust his judgement. But if you hurt him then I swear to God Draco I will hunt you down and cause you ten times as much pain in return. Do you hear me?”

She actually was pretty scary at the end there and it took Draco back to the time where she’d punched him in the face in third year. It reminded him of the fierce Hermione he’d seen at school only now he realised that everything she did, she did out of passion. The brotherly love she had for Harry was obvious and it warmed his heart how protective she was over him. 

“I hear you. All I want to do is make him happy, I would never intentionally hurt him and I'm serious about this.” He replied sincerely.

Hermione eyed him for a moment and it felt like no one was breathing as the four of them stood there. “OK. I believe you.” She said simply. 

Then she did something Draco did not expect at all. She threw her arms around him and hugged him fiercely, speaking directly into his ear so the others couldn’t hear. “Thank you for loving him.”

She withdrew and Draco wasn’t quite sure what to do. He couldn’t quite believe he’d just been given Hermione and Ron’s blessing. He knew how much this would mean to Harry and that meant everything to him. He turned to Harry who was beaming at him full of love and pride. He returned the smile freely.

Just then there was loud babbling noise by their feet. Harry let go of Draco’s hand and bent down to sweep up the baby into his arms. 

“Oh sorry sweetie, were we ignoring you?” He said lovingly as he brought Rose into his chest for a cuddle and kissed her forehead. He confidently turned her so she was facing outwards on his chest and turned towards Draco. “Rose, I want you to meet Draco.”

Draco wasn’t quite sure what to do here. Meeting Teddy felt much easier than this, at least Teddy could talk and hug him of his own violation. How do you greet a baby? Draco had never even seen a baby this close before, only seen them in the street but no one he knew had ever had a baby. 

In the end he tentatively reached out and took one of her tiny hands in his. She immediately grasped onto his index finger. 

“Erm, hi Rose.” He said softly. Her grip on his finger was strong and he didn’t think he was getting it back anytime soon so he just held it there somewhat awkwardly. 

He turned back to Ron and Hermione. “She’s really cute.” He said honestly but not really sure if it was a bit too late to congratulate them on parenthood.

“Yeah she is.” Ron said softly as he looked at Rose. 

That one look told Draco how much the man loved his daughter and it did something strange to his stomach. He couldn’t have pictured Weasley as a dad but the evidence here was overwhelming. He was also watching Harry and how comfortable he was holding a baby. It was one thing seeing Harry with Teddy, especially when Teddy looked like a mini Harry. It was hard to not think about what Harry’s son would look like then, or indeed Draco’s son when Teddy had changed his hair to mimic his blonde colour. 

With a baby though, that was another thing entirely. Harry holding a baby was damn sexy. There was no other word for it. He just looked so content and comfortable. Harry would make an amazing dad and suddenly Draco just couldn’t stop picturing it. What would Harry’s baby look like if it was a girl? Or Draco’s? He guessed they would have to have a surrogate or something but there was no doubt in his mind that he’d love a little baby with Harry’s eyes or his jet black hair. He’d even cope with it if it was as messy as Harry’s. 

His chest constricted slightly at the realisation of his thoughts and the fact that he was still staring at his finger that Rose was clutching. Merlin was he actually feeling… broody? That was a new feeling.

“You alright?” Harry said gently and it was only then that he realised Ron and Hermione had walked away. When had that happened?

“Yeah, I’m fine.” He said quietly.

“You wanna hold her?” Harry asked softly.

Draco panicked. “No.” He rushed out, then he realised how that sounded. “Sorry. I mean, yeah she seems sweet but I just really don’t feel comfortable with babies yet.”

He expected Harry to be a bit sad or disappointed with him but when he looked at him Harry was sporting a grin that he was trying to bite back but failing.

“What?” Draco asked, a bit confused.

“You said ‘ _ yet’ _ .” Harry answered simply. Before Draco could process that Harry was walking away and Rose was pulled away from his finger. He stood there a bit blindsided for a moment but Harry was calling over his shoulder. “Come on.”

He followed him like a lost little puppy knowing there was still more of Harry’s family to meet. Looking around he realised that Ron and Fred had started on the buffet along with what Draco was pretty sure was Oliver Wood. Ginerva had come down now and was standing in the doorway of the house talking to her mother. Hermione was helping Victoire and Dominique get some food with Fleur nearby still holding tiny baby Louis. Teddy was also at the buffet table getting some food with Andromeda.

He realised that Harry was leading him over to Bill and Charlie who he had to admit he was curious to meet. 

“Harry man, great to see you as always.” Said the guy that Draco was pretty sure was Charlie. Harry greeted him with a big hug in return, adjusting Rose effortlessly onto his hip as he did so. Then he greeted Bill with an enthusiastic handshake.

“So I gather you’ve heard that Draco is my boyfriend. I know you’ll know of him but not sure if you’ve ever actually met so, erm, Draco this is Charlie and Bill.” He said gesturing to each of them in turn.

Charlie stepped up first with a big grin and a friendly handshake. Draco accepted it straight away and Charlie brought him in to clap him on the back. Draco immediately liked Charlie. There was just something about him that seemed so free, easy and relaxed.

“Nice to meet you dude. You must be something special to finally get this guy to say the ‘boyfriend’ word huh?” He teased slightly.

“Guess so.” Draco said with mock arrogance and a smile. “I believe I might have you to thank for making that happen though.”

“Oh?” Charlie questioned. “How so?”

“Well, the Harry I knew never wore anything that fitted him and had no sense of style. Then I see him again seven years later looking fit and stylish. He said you introduced him to that catalogue and I wholly approve of the shirt you bought him too.” Draco replied feeling oddly at ease with the banter and the conversation already. Somehow this was easier than ‘meeting’ Ron and Hermione.

“Oh yeah, someone had to show him the ropes in the world of fashion eh?” Charlie replied giving Harry a playful jab in the shoulder.

Harry just rolled his eyes but he seemed pretty relaxed and happy with the banter too.

“Well in that case you’re welcome mate.” Charlie said, winking at him.

“P-leease.” Harry said dramatically poking Draco in the side. “You admitted you fancied me at school so the clothes got nothing to do with it.” He teased with a massive grin.

“I definitely should not have told you that. It’s gone right to your head.” Draco said as if unimpressed. 

“Hey, nice to meet you Draco. I’m Bill.” The man next to Charlie said stepping forward slightly seemingly interested in the conversation. Draco noticed the scars on his face for the first time up close and suddenly felt sick as he remembered stepping over a red-headed man on the floor that fateful night.

His hand was shaking slightly as he took Bill’s outstretched one. “Yeah... great to meet you properly too. I’m, erm, I’m really sorry about…” He swallowed thickly as Harry once again took his hand in silent encouragement. “About that- that night.”

Bill though just seemed confused. “What night?”

Draco opened his mouth to answer but he didn’t really have the words. He thought Bill would know what he was referring to and now he wasn’t sure how to say it. 

Fortunately though, Harry came to his rescue as always. “He’s talking about Greyback Bill.” Harry said quietly.

“Oh, that.” Bill replied in the same casual way as before. Draco was avoiding his eye but when he felt the man’s hand on his shoulder giving him a gentle squeeze he was forced to look up. “I know you let them into the castle but you didn’t have much of a choice if he had your mother by the throat so to speak. Did you know Greyback was coming?”

Draco shook his head. “I was told it would just be Aunt Bellatrix and the Carrows coming through to the room of requirement with Snape helping to lead them to the Astronomy tower. We were supposed to just kill Dumbledore and go. I- I didn’t realise there would be a battle. No one else was supposed to get hurt. I realised afterwards that was naive.”

Bill just shrugged. “Well there we go then, not your fault. Maybe you were a bit naive but you were sixteen, I’d expect you to be. You  _ shouldn’t _ know anything about war at that age. Look, I don’t blame you for that night and you shouldn’t blame yourself either. I was in the Order, that was my choice and it was my choice to go and fight that night. I had much more of a choice in the war than you did and I got luckier than some. I’m here now, I have a beautiful wife and three amazing children. It’s all good.”

Bill was still holding onto his shoulder and Harry was clutching his hand tightly. He was still getting used to the fact that people didn’t blame him for his part, that people didn’t hold on to the past in the same way that he did. He was getting there but this was just another reminder that it really was OK to move on from the war. A reminder that maybe he did deserve the happiness he had now and he could actually enjoy it guilt free.

“Thanks.” He said quietly.

“No problem.” Bill replied but he wasn’t done and seemed to be reading his mind. “You shouldn’t hold onto that stuff from the past but in some ways realising that you still feel guilty about that tells me something. I don’t know you really but everyone deserves happiness and if Harry has chosen you out of everyone to be with then I reckon you must be a good man.”

“He is a good man.” Harry said seriously from besides him.

“Well that’s good enough for me.” Bill said happily, taking his hand off Draco’s shoulder and smiling at Harry. He turned back to Draco to return the conversation to something a bit more light hearted. “So you really fancied Harry at school? Since when?” He asked with a smile.

Draco blushed slightly but he did smile and felt himself relax once more. One time he would have refused to accept Bill’s easy forgiveness but he was really learning now that he didn’t need to feel guilty about who he used to be. He just needs to be that good man that Harry said he was now.

Seeing as he hadn’t answered Bill’s question, Harry answered for him.

“Oh I think he mentioned something about dragons and broomsticks.” Harry said with a grin. “So maybe we really do have you to thank for that, Charlie. You helped provide the dragons after all.”

“Ah true.” Charlie replied looking smug. “You can thank me in the wedding toast.” He said as a joke.

However, hearing the  _ wedding _ word, even as a joke, whilst looking at Harry with a baby on his hip after they told each other that they love each other… yeah, that was heavy. It should be scary though, but somehow it wasn’t. Somehow it was just exciting.

Harry was then asking Charlie about the dragon reserve which was actually quite a fascinating conversation. Charlie said that Draco was welcome to visit anytime and he found himself genuinely wanting to go. Bill was a bit quieter than Charlie but he seemed just as laid back and easy going. It was a nice relaxed conversation and so far the visit really was going swimmingly. Yes it was a bit loud and yes there were quite a few people but it helped that they were all outside and dispersed into little groups. It didn’t feel as overwhelming as he thought it might.

After a while the four of them made their way over to the buffet table where Harry gave Rose back to her mother who had already taken a chance to eat something. Draco was introduced to Fleur who he obviously remembered from the Triwizard tournament but had never actually spoken to. They ended up having a long conversation about France in French which was most enjoyable. Draco liked speaking French and he was a bit rusty but it felt nice to practice it again. Bill rolled his eyes and jokingly thanked Draco as he said Fleur was always looking for people to speak French with.

After a while Hermione asked to join in because she said she was genuinely interested in hearing about his studies in Paris so they switched to English. Draco welcomed this topic of conversation as it was the thing in his life that he was actually proud of and had fond memories of. Harry was on the periphery half listening but was mostly talking to Ron and Charlie. He would constantly look over to Draco though and silently check in on him with glances and smiles.

Draco noticed that Ginerva was pretty much avoiding him. He shook hands with Oliver but he was quite a strong silent type and didn’t speak to him beyond their initial meeting. Arthur didn’t really speak to him much either other than just asking him once if he was OK. Molly though did seem slightly more concerned and kept asking him if he was alright, if he had everything he needed and if he was having a good time. Draco thought she probably did still have concerns under the surface but she was determined to make him feel welcome for Harry’s sake as she clearly cared about him. Draco knew how much she’d been wanting him to bring ‘home’ a boyfriend so no doubt she was determined not to scare the first one away.

After everyone had enjoyed at least one plate of savoury food, a large cake came out for Molly and they all sang Happy Birthday to her before getting on with the desserts. The way the buffet table was laid out, it wasn’t actually clear who brought what but Draco was grateful for the warning the twins had given him when the chaos erupted.

Charlie was the first victim to turn into a clown when eating a custard tart shortly followed by Oliver but fortunately they both found it hilarious as did Teddy who then deliberately went to eat one. Molly was in the middle of scolding the twins when Hermione and Bill both simultaneously grew unicorn horns and ears on their head after tucking into a cream horn. Bill just took it on the chin and was enjoying the reactions he was getting out of his daughters. Hermione though, screamed and ran into the house shortly followed by Ginny who presumably went to see if she was OK.

“There’s nothing she can do.” came a voice in his ear as Draco realised he was now standing alone having been abandoned by Fleur and Hermione.

He turned to see Fred laughed slightly. “How long does it last?” 

“An hour.” Fred said grinning.

“Guessing she’ll hide in the bathroom for an hour then.” Draco replied.

Fred agreed. “Probably.”

“Impressive charms though.” Draco complimented him with sincerity as they watched the scene now happening in the middle of the lawn. 

“Thanks.” Fred said proudly.

Ron had seemingly been turned into a clown now too, whether on purpose or by accident Draco wasn't sure but he was now acting out some sort of impromptu performance for the children with an enthusiastic Charlie and a slightly more reluctant Oliver. Fleur was sat watching with her two daughters who were happily sharing a creamed horn and watching their own unicorn horns and ears grow. Molly was holding Louis now and seemed less cross at the twins behaviour now that the children were enjoying the entertainment. Andromeda was keeping her company on the bench by the house. George was talking to Arthur about something over at the buffet table still but whatever it was it looked more serious than the rest of the party interactions. 

Draco had temporarily lost track of Harry but then spotted him cuddling Rose again and watching the ‘performance’ with a clown version of Teddy. Looking around Draco was struck with how happy everyone seemed in this natural family environment. True this day in particular was a bit special being a birthday, but they met like this every week which was just something so alien to Draco. He found that actually, even though he’d only been doing this for Harry, he wanted to fit into this big bustling loving family. He thought he might actually like these people.

“So, are you enjoying yourself?” Fred asked for a while just when Draco had forgotten he was still standing there. 

“Yes I am actually.” Draco replied honestly. “You have a lovely family.”

“Yeah. They’re pretty great.” Fred said fondly. “It’s good to have you. Harry’s crazy happy that you’re here.”

“He seems happy. It’s nice to see him like this with his family.” Draco replied, looking at Harry laughing at something Teddy said and ruffling his hair.

“He is really relaxed today. He’s not usually quite like this.” Fred said cryptically as they looked on.

Draco turned towards him and raised an eyebrow. “No? How do you mean?”

Fred sighed slightly as if it was hard to explain. “He likes coming here I’m sure. I know we all mean something to him, but mostly he comes every week because he knows it’s expected of him. He knows that my mum and Hermione will worry about him if he doesn’t come and he doesn’t want them to. He also comes because he knows people want to see him but sometimes it’s like he doesn’t always want to be here. Like part of his mind is always somewhere else and he’s not fully at ease. I think he’s always felt like an outsider still. Everyone else is actually blood related to someone or is in a relationship with someone and it’s always just been him on his own. You’re his family now and bringing you here means that he has someone here too does that make sense?”

Draco was thinking about it still and part of him was also considering that this was the longest most serious conversation he’d ever had with Fred. “Yeah… it does make sense.” He hesitated slightly before adding “You really care about him don’t you?”

Fred looked slightly awkward now and shifted on one foot. “Yeah I do but not in that way. You don’t-”

Draco interrupted him. “I wasn’t saying anything by it, I’m not worried about that. You can be honest.”

Fred looked slightly relieved as he carried on. “OK then well good. Yeah, I do care about him, of course I do. I, erm, I always thought that I was helping him by giving him what I  _ could _ offer but at the same time trying to encourage him to find what I couldn’t offer him. I guess over the years I stopped though and then I started feeling a bit guilty that maybe I was holding him back and just being selfish. I never loved him like that but I do still love him in my own way. I sometimes felt bad that I couldn’t put my arm around him at Sunday lunch in front of the family or something, not because that’s what _ I _ wanted but because  _ he  _ wanted that. He didn’t want it with  _ me _ really but he did want it with someone. Now though he has that. It’s nice to see him be completely himself with the little touches, looks and kisses that he’s given you in front of everyone, that’s all.”

Draco smiled in spite of himself as he looked over at Harry and found those beautiful green eyes looking back at him. Harry seemed slightly concerned at first but he mouthed ‘you ok?’ to Draco and when Draco nodded Harry smiled back at him. 

He turned back to Fred and looked at him properly. “I was jealous at first and yes, I didn’t like the idea of you and Harry being together but I do get it. You did take care of him and love him in your own way and I want to thank you for that. I think maybe everything has just worked out the way it should have done so no one needs to feel guilty about anything or live in the past. Your brother reminded me of that earlier actually.”

“Oh? Which one?” Fred asked with a growing smile now. 

“Bill.” Draco replied quietly. “I apologised about Greyback.”

“Oh right.” Fred seemed surprised. “You didn’t need to do that.”

“I did.” Draco insisted. “If not for him then for myself. He said we shouldn’t hold on to stuff from the past and said that he’s happy now with his wife and children. It struck something in me I suppose. I think we can all be happy now. Me and Harry… and hopefully you too.”

“Yeah…” Fred said slowly but with growing certainty. “Thanks man, means a lot.”

“No worries. I’m glad we had this chat.” Draco said smiling to Fred.

“Same.” Fred replied as they noticed that Harry was now walking back towards them slowly.

“Fred?” Draco asked just as he started to walk away. 

“Yeah?” He said turning back around.

“I was being a dick.” Draco confessed. “You can hug Harry, it’s all good.”

“Cheers mate.” He said with a grin and when Harry passed him he gave him a big hug and then a smacking kiss on the cheek which took Harry by surprise to say the least.

“Oi!” Draco called out. “Don’t push it.”

Fred winked at Draco and walked off laughing.

“So, want to tell me what that was about?” Harry asked with a raised eyebrow as he came and stood in front of Draco.

“Not particularly.” Draco replied with a smile. “It was between me and Fred, but it was good.”

“Fair enough.” Harry shrugged casually, clearly still a bit intrigued but happy to trust Draco and let it go.

“Have I told you that I love you?” Draco asked him quietly as he put his arms around Harry’s waist now that he was baby-free.

“Not for a couple of hours.” Harry responded with a smile as his arms went up around Draco’s shoulders and round the back of his neck.

“Well I love you.” Draco said, dropping his voice slightly to a soft romantic tone.

“I love you too Draco. You have no idea how much it means to me to have you here, thank you.” Harry said with a hint of emotion in his voice. He nuzzled into Draco’s neck slightly in a way that he did when the tears threatened to come and he needed a moment to himself but didn’t want to separate from Draco. “I’m so freaking happy.” He whispered into Draco’s neck.

“Good.” Draco said, bringing one hand up from Harry’s waist to stroke the back of his head. “I’m

happy you’re happy but maybe enough of the public display of affection now huh?” He said half jokingly into Harry’s forehead before giving him a gentle kiss there.

“Right. Sorry.” Harry laughed as he pulled up. “You doing OK though? You having a good time?”

He asked, stepping back but just keeping his hands lightly on Draco’s shoulders.

“Yes, it’s nice.” Draco replied. “I’d like to go talk to my Aunt though, I haven’t really spoken to her much.”

“Sure, go ahead.” Harry said with a smile. He gave Draco another quick kiss on the lips and then let him go.

About an hour later as the afternoon was drawing to a close and the evening started they started saying their goodbyes. Draco still had a way to go in his relationships with some of the Weasley clan which was to be expected but it was nice to feel like some of them were really rooting for him at least. This weekend had been amazing and they’d taken some massive steps in their relationship. 

He felt very positive about the future with Harry. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ahhh!! :D
> 
> So many massive steps forward for our boys! <3  
> I really hope you liked it!  
> Let me know please!
> 
> That was actually my first proper sex scene so feedback would be good. Not sure if I should change the rating from Mature to Explicit? Thoughts?  
> I've said before that I will only write smut for the sake of the plot and the development of their relationship but just for the sake of it. I'm writing about relationships and sex is a massive part of a romantic relationship. I wanted to convey all the insecurities and the feelings behind sex. I also wanted to portray how communication is important before, during and after sex and what it can do to deepen a relationship. 
> 
> So yeah it is mostly about feelings (even though it is a bit of fun too!) so I don't go into details about exactly what was happening when but obviously there are still some descriptive words and maybe it should be explicit? Not sure! I did tag the fic as having sexual content...   
> Advice from those in the know would be appreciated. Thanks guys! Much love x


	37. Harry: Monday 31st October

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Harry and Draco attend Ernie and Astoria's wedding with the rest of the gang but Harry's always dealing with the fact that it's the anniversary of his parents death.  
> Plus he is wondering if Draco ever wants a wedding of his own or children... when is the right time to talk about that?!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I know it's been ages since my last update and to all those who have been waiting patiently thank you, but also I'm sorry!  
> Hopefully this will make it up to you though (and explain why it's taken me so long!) because this is basically two chapters worth of writing!  
> This chapter is MASSIVE and it has EVERYTHING!  
> All the feels, the fluff, the characters, the conversations... There is A LOT going on!
> 
> I wanted to have all of the wedding fluff and fun and really set the scene with some cute/funny little moments but there is also some serious character development going on as always. Harry and Draco take more steps forward in their relationship, we find out more about what's going on with Daphne and check in with George as I know people have been worried about that. Plus there is a little hint about Blaise and Fred here (I wonder what's going to happen there...?!)
> 
> So yes this chapter really does have a bit of everything... Hopefully it's not too much. I've given you lots of breaks so you don't have to read it all at once but I wanted the whole day to be from Harry's perspective which is why I didn't split it into two. 
> 
> I also took a long time writing this as I spent waaaay too much time on Pinterest trying to get inspiration for the wedding and create all the outfits! If you like visuals with your story then please check out my board for the wedding: www.pinterest.co.uk/hufflepuffromantic/sharing-the-story-drarry-fic/astorias-wedding/
> 
> My whole wedding mad whirlwind got me reading another story in the world of Marvel fan fic as I'm a massive lover of Stucky stories. If you are too then check out Paradise Lost (& Found) which is a story featuring the classic trope of going on honeymoon alone after being left at the alter but then finding love there.  
> Anyway it inspired me to write a Drarry version of it called The Desired which has one chapter up so far so if that sounds like your thing then check that out. The Marvel story can be found there too as I've linked it.
> 
> This story is still my number one focus and will be until it's finished but I do procrastinate sometimes... sorry!  
> Anyway, I'll shut up and let you read now!
> 
> **Trigger warning: Harry is dealing with the anniversary of his parents death here and visits the graveyard, just in case that's something that might be upsetting for you.

Halloween was always a tough day for Harry and he’d been thinking about it a lot over the weekend in the run up to today. He’d had more than enough to keep him distracted and busy though, for which he was grateful. He hadn’t mentioned anything to Draco, his boyfriend had enough going on in his head without Harry adding to it. It was stupid anyway and he didn’t want to cause a fuss. 

He tried to act normal as they got up that morning and not be too quiet. He tried not to constantly think of his parents being murdered twenty four years ago today. He tried to pretend it was just any other day but he wasn’t sure if he fooled Draco or not. 

Draco was probably suspicious though as it was rare that Harry was awake before him. It was also rare these days that Harry showered separately from Draco with the en-suite door firmly shut. When he got out he put on his best smile and thought he did a decent job of convincing Draco he just woke up with a bit of a headache but that nothing was actually wrong. 

Breakfast was easy as Draco was so busy talking about the plans for the wedding and going over every last detail that Harry could just sit there and nod every now and then. It was only when Kreacher came with the post that Draco stopped talking as Harry recognised who the letter was from and therefore didn’t open it. He just asked Kreacher to leave it in his office for him which got him a puzzling look from Draco. He waved it off as an update from one of his charity investments which wasn’t a lie. 

He wasn’t quite sure why but he just wasn’t ready to tell Draco about the fact that he was funding research into male pregnancy for wizards so that a gay couple could have their own biological baby one day. They hadn’t talked about having children at all and even though they were committed to this relationship it might be a bit too soon for that subject. Harry thought there was hope there in the way that Draco had been with Teddy and the way he’d looked at Rose, he just didn’t want to scare him off by admitting to his boyfriend of two weeks how broody he actually was sometimes. 

Fortunately Draco didn’t dwell on it or ask anything further. One day Harry definitely would tell Draco about the fertility clinic. Just not today.

The conversation quickly slipped back to the wedding and who they would see there. Ron and Hermione were also going, something Harry thought he’d only learnt that yesterday but apparently Hermione had told him several times before. It made sense when he thought about it. Ernie, the groom, was a prominent young figure in the ministry these days as were Ron and Hermione. He supposed that actually a lot of Ministry people he knew would be there. No wonder Draco was slightly nervous and just wanted to go as friends. 

The wedding was quite late so there was no hurry but straight after breakfast Draco was already floo calling Blaise to discuss outfits. Harry told Draco that he needed to go out to Gringotts which was technically true, and left him planning what both of them would wear. They both had expensive suits both muggle, wizarding and a mixture of the two styles that had all been charmed so the buyer could easily alter the colours. That would make it easy for Draco to have a bit of play with their wardrobes and outfits. Harry was quite happy to trust him and wear what he was told.

Draco was intrigued at Harry’s Gringotts trip but Harry told him it was a surprise (again not a lie) so Draco let him go. Harry just omitted the fact that he spent half an hour in Godric’s Hollow sitting by his parents grave. He came here every year but he usually came at night, it was strange to be here during the day. It was hard every time but it was just something that he had to do. There was one thing that made it easier this year though and that was Draco. Draco made everything easier. 

Even though Harry hadn’t confided in him about the visit, he ended up talking to his parent’s gravestone about Draco and telling them that he’d found someone who made him happy. He knew they couldn’t really hear him but it helped him to tell them anyway. At least he had something really good now that he could tell them rather than in previous years. He liked to think they wouldn’t care about him being gay and would approve of his choice of partner. It was times like this that he missed Sirius and Lupin. He could have asked them what his parents would have thought but now there was no one left to ask.

He wiped the tears away and steeled himself to return to Draco and just enjoy the day without dwelling on the significance of the date. Going home to Draco made forgetting easier to do too rather than just returning to an empty Grimmauld Place and finding company in a bottle of whiskey as he did last year. 

Predictably he found Draco in the bedroom with the doors to the dressing room open and an array of outfits sprawled across the bed.

“How’s it going?” He asked with a slightly forced smile.

“Well, I’ve reconsidered my earlier plan of blues and greens slightly.” Draco said, launching into a full explanation of what Blaise had told him. “It’s a typical luxury Halloween themed wedding apparently. There will be lots of autumnal colours mixed in black and gold with a slight Gothic feel, so the grey and blue colours I was planning to wear definitely won’t go.”

“Right.” Harry replied simply wondering what on earth a ‘luxury, slightly Gothic, Halloween/autumnal’ wedding looked like. He didn’t really understand why they had to fit in with it and why grey and blue wouldn’t go but he wasn’t going to argue.

“Green would still work if it was a dark kind of forest green. I was planning on putting you in that but I think actually I might have that colour as you also look really good in dark red which I would not be seen dead in.” Draco continued, not looking at Harry but still pulling out different jackets from their collective formal wardrobe and holding them up.

“Too Gryffindor for you?” Harry quipped.

“Exactly.” Draco replied perfectly seriously. “I was wondering about this style jacket. It’s not quite a normal muggle style but it’s more modern and stylish than robes.” He said holding one of them up.

It belonged to Harry and was actually one of his favourites. It was a long black straight cut suit jacket that had a single row of large black buttons all down one side and a straight edge on the back with a single centre slit. It had a high stiff collar and barely seen black embroidery down one the left front panel and over the shoulder.

Draco held up his wand to it and changed it from black to a very dark red colour making the embroidery and the buttons gold. It worked well.

“Looks good.” Harry said, smiling more genuinely now.

“Yes it does.” Draco replied clearly happy with his work. He laid it on the bed with a white shirt, black waistcoat and trousers then fetched one of his own satin cravat style ties in a deep red colour and rested it on top.

“Right try that on for me.” Draco said in his poncy voice he brought out when he was being bossy. 

“Now?” Harry half asked, half whined. “We have hours before we need to start getting ready.”

“I didn’t say ‘ _ start getting ready’ _ , I said try it on. I need to know what it looks like so I know if I’ve got it right or if we need to change anything.” Draco insisted, his voice was a bit snappy.

Harry chuckled slightly and resigned himself to playing ‘dress up’ with Draco. He was pretty chilled out as a person and it was cute to see Draco get worked up about something. He knew Draco was a perfectionist and that this meant something to him so he went along with it getting himself undressed and into the outfit he put out. It was a sign of how serious Draco was that he didn’t even glance at Harry undressing as his head was back in the wardrobe muttering to himself.

Draco pulled a similar style suit jacket from his own wardrobe. It was a pretty much the same cut, as it had come from the same catalogue Harry had got his from, but it was dark blue with two thin rows of embroidered silver swirls down each side next to the silver buttons and the button holes on the other side. As Harry finished getting dressed Draco waved his wand over his own jacket making it a dark green colour instead and changed the embroidery and buttons to gold too. 

Draco quickly got dressed as well, putting on his own pair of shiny black suit trousers. They were a slightly slimmer cut than Harry’s straight cut ones as they suited Draco’s slender legs more. He didn’t have the muscular thighs that Harry had. He also put on a formal shirt but his was black instead of white and he left the collar of it open with a couple of buttons undone. Over the top he had a black waistcoat too but his was double breasted with two short columns of small black buttons whereas Harry’s only had one. Draco was right, the outfits complimented each other and were similar enough to tie them both together but different enough for them each to have their own look. Even if they weren’t going to be standing that close, Harry still knew that they would very much look good together.

Harry watched with fascination as Draco pulled out several silk scarfs holding them up against his jacket in the mirror. He finally settled on a dark green and gold brocade patterned one and elegantly tied it around his neck in a neat wide knot tucking the end of it into his skirt. It was a bit fancy for Harry’s personal tastes and he was glad of his plain one. However, Draco could pull it off and it definitely suited him.

“You look amazing. It’s going to be very hard to keep my hands off you tonight.” Harry said honestly.

He could see the corner of Draco’s mouth turn up slightly as he looked in the mirror. “Thanks.” He said smugly as if he knew he looked good.

Harry smiled to himself. He knew Draco had a vain streak, it used to annoy him as he always thought he was arrogant but now he knew better. He knew deep down how many insecurities he had so actually it was nice to see him looking confident. He wasn’t even offended that Draco was so busy admiring himself that he hadn’t even looked at Harry in his outfit yet.

Draco seemed to realise that at the same time and quickly turned towards Harry with a slightly guilty expression which quickly turned flirtatious. 

“You look good too. Really good.” Draco said eyeing him up and down. “I think I changed my mind. I think I want everyone at the wedding to know exactly who you’re in a relationship with.”

“Really?” Harry raised his eyebrow and asked slightly sceptically. 

Draco paused for a moment and then sighed. “No, not really.” He said a bit dejected and then realised how it might sound. 

“I mean, yes you do look really good! I wasn’t lying about that.” He corrected quickly and then half sighed again. “I just- I do want everyone to know you’re with me, like really with me and if anyone flirts with you, which they will, then I’m definitely going to send them a subtle trip jinx-”

Harry snorted because he knew it was true.

“-But I haven’t changed my mind. I really don’t want a press shit storm right now. I’ve made so much progress this week at finally letting go of my insecurities and allowing myself to be happy… We broke out of our bubble a little bit and our friends and family know… I just want time to enjoy all of that for a little while.” Draco said with a shy little half smile at the end.

Harry walked towards him to gently cup his face with both hands.

“I know sweetheart, and I do think it’s the right decision for us right now.” He leaned forward and kissed him lightly on the lips. “We’ll have plenty of opportunities to show the world together when we’re both ready. I’m not going anywhere.”

“Hmm, yeah thanks.” Draco agreed and gave him a soft kiss on contentment back and then withdrew with a slight look of bemusement. “By the way…  _ Sweetheart? _ That’s a new one. Are we going through the entire list of pet names now?”

“Why not?” Harry beamed and kissed him again. “I love you.” He said more seriously. “You really do look good. Even though I can’t share it with the world just yet, every time I look at you tonight I’m going to be reminded of how lucky I am to be able to take you home at the end of the night.”

“Thank you, same to you Harry.” Draco said sincerely. They had a brief sappy moment where they smiled at each other and then Draco snapped out of it. “Now get that off before you crease it too much.”

*~*

“So, are you going to tell me what you went to Gringotts for yet?” Draco asked as they started to take their outfits off and hung them back up for later.

“I was wondering when you were going to ask.” Harry smiled, laying his waistcoat on top of his suit jacket. He knelt down to get the jeans he had on earlier that were now discarded on the floor and got something small out of the pocket. He held it in his hands so Draco couldn’t see it quite yet. Draco was watching him intrigued.

“So, erm, I’m a bit nervous about this but I think you want it so… yeah.” Harry started a bit timidly. He opened his hand to reveal the ring he had picked up not looking at it too much, just waiting for Draco’s reaction.

Draco’s eyes went wide and his mouth hung open slightly. “Harry…” He started and then swallowed thickly. “Harry are you…? Is this…?”

Harry was confused about Draco’s reaction for a moment until he looked down at the ring and realised it was facing the wrong way so Draco wouldn’t be able to see it properly. Then it dawned on him what it looked like as he was still kneeling on the floor with a ring in his hand. 

“Oh, no. Shit Draco, sorry, I erm, I’m not proposing.” He stammered out quickly and awkwardly stood up.

Draco let out the breath he was holding. “Oh thank Merlin.” The look of absolute relief flooded his face.

Harry groaned inwardly, he was such an idiot. It definitely had not been his intention for Draco to think that, not even as a joke, but he couldn’t pretend that his obvious relief didn’t hurt  _ a little _ . He put it out of his mind quickly though to explain it properly.

“I should have started with a proper explanation.” He said apologetically. Draco didn’t say anything and just waited for Harry to continue. “When I first met you again I, erm, I noticed that you, er, had a nervous habit of rubbing the finger where I’m guessing your Malfoy family ring used to be…”

Draco shifted a bit awkwardly at that but he didn’t interrupt or correct him so Harry carried on. “I also know that even though you want to put the Malfoy name behind you, your pure-blood heritage is still a part of your identity and that’s OK Draco. You don’t need to abandon your bloodline completely; I still want you to be proud of who you are and where you came from. I, erm, well I thought about this back then but thought it was a bit too soon for a grand gesture and then when you mention about gifts on Halloween I thought, with the wedding and all, it would be appropriate today as I’ll be wearing my Potter ring-”

“Harry your rambling now.” Draco interrupted kindly with a soft smile.

“Right sorry.” Harry said coyly. “ Here.” He turned the ring around properly so that Draco could see the Black family crest on it and held it out to him. 

Draco looked at it for a moment before stretching out a tentative hand to take the ring and look at it properly. 

“I- I wondered if you had this. When I first saw you wear the Potter family ring at Daphne’s I was really annoyed about it.” He admitted still looking at the ring and turning it over in his fingers. “You- you really want me to have this?”

“Of course.” Harry said quickly. “I told you, whatever is in that vault is ours now. I know it’s not like a proper gift or anything cos I didn’t buy it and it’s really more yours than mine-”

“It is a gift Harry.” Draco cut across him gently. “You went and got it for me this morning, knowing I’d want to wear it today. That means a lot to me to have this and what you said about still being proud of my bloodline... well, thank you.” 

“You’re welcome.” Harry replied as he watched Draco slip the ring onto his finger.

“It fits perfectly.” Draco said looking at the ring with pride. “I- I didn’t want to wear the Malfoy heir ring anymore obviously, but it was weird to be without it. I wore it for so long that it felt like I was missing something. This one though, this isn’t an heir ring, it’s a head of the household ring.”

“I know.” Harry said simply stepping forward again to hold Draco’s hand and look at the ring there.

“Thanks again for… for understanding what this means to me.” Draco said softly. He leaned his head forward and kissed Harry’s forehead. “I’m really glad I can wear this today.”

“Me too. It looks good.” Harry said squeezing Draco’s hand and then letting go to finish getting out of his wedding outfit.

Draco undressed too and then they both just put some comfy loungewear on until later when they would actually need to get ready. They did this in comfortable silence and Draco seemed quiet now, not unhappy quiet, just thoughtful. Harry caught him looking at the Black family ring a few times with a soft smile on his face.

They were saving their appetites for later so weren’t having lunch but Harry said he’d make them both a latte. Draco stopped by his office for something but Harry went to make the drinks and met him back in the lounge. 

Draco was sitting on the sofa with his sketchbook in his hands and looking a bit nervous. Harry passed Draco a sweet pumpkin spiced latte and sat next to him tucking his legs up underneath him.

“So I have a Halloween gift for you too, sort of.” Draco said after he took a sip of his coffee. 

“Oh?” Harry questioned drinking his unflavoured latte with an extra shot. 

“It’s just a silly little something, not a proper present really… I just, erm, drew you something.” He said as he tentatively opened his sketchbook and pulled out a loose sheet. He clutched it to his chest for a moment like it was something precious and didn’t show Harry straight away.

“You drew me something?” Harry asked, surprised but definitely happy at the prospect. Draco seemed nervous about showing him though. “Dray, I’d love to see it, I promise you that I’ll love it. Anything that you’ve made for me I’ll like.”

Draco smiled and gave a small nod. He then held out the sketch for Harry to take.

Harry put his coffee on the table before he took it as he wanted both hands to look at it properly and definitely didn’t want to get coffee on it. Now he held it and for a few seconds he just gazed at it fully appreciating it’s beauty and significance.

It was a simple black and white pencil sketch but it’s simplicity really worked. The drawing was of Draco’s forearm and hand holding Harry’s with their fingers intertwined. On the inside of Draco’s arm was the Dark Mark and the back of Harry’s hand had the scar with the words ‘I must not tell lies’ etched into his skin. It was a message that even though they both had their scars they had found love in each other and had a supportive hand to hold. 

For a couple of minutes Harry was just staring at it taking in all the details. He ran his finger over it and traced some of the pencil marks. The shading was exquisite. Then he realised that he hadn’t said anything and Draco was nervously waiting for a reaction. He reached out to hold Draco’s hand and looked down at Draco’s hand in his and then back to the picture smiling brightly. 

“Draco… it’s incredible. I love it.” He said earnestly. “Its… it’s the best thing anyone has ever given me-”

Draco looked pleased but then he scoffed slightly. “I doubt that, it’s just a stupid sktech.”

“It’s not stupid. It’s beautiful.” Harry said quietly, not able to take his eyes off it yet. Draco’s smile got bigger and he kissed the back of Harry’s hand. Harry was quiet for a few more moments just thinking.

“I’m really glad you like it.” Draco said after a while.

“I told you, I love it. Thank you.” Harry said reaching over to kiss him lightly on the mouth. “I love you even though I’m kind of jealous of your talent. We should frame this and put it up in our room.”

“Yeah, that would be nice.” Draco agreed, looking much happier and more relaxed now. 

“So what time are we leaving again?” Harry asked, putting the sketch on the coffee table for now and reaching for his latte again.

“Harry I told you all of this at breakfast.” Draco sighed slightly.

“Erm, right yeah. Sorry my mind was kind of elsewhere at breakfast.” Harry confessed.

Draco looked at him slightly concerned for a moment. “Yeah I thought you were quiet, everything OK?”

“Hmm? Oh yeah… was just thinking about the ring you know, and how you’d take your gift.” Harry said casually not wanting to bring the mood down with the anniversary of his parents death. He really was OK now,  _ he thinks _ , and he wanted to enjoy the day. 

“Right OK.” Draco seemed convinced. “Well the ceremony starts at three but we can apparate directly into the hotel foyer and the drinks and canapés are served after so I figured we’d leave at quarter to just to have time to greet a few people and find our seats. Astoria is bound to be late anyway.”

“So we still have a couple of hours before we need to start getting ready right?” Harry said with a smile. “Soooo... what are we going to do for three hours?”

“I can think of something.” Draco said suggestively.

“Oh yeah?” Harry said, raising his eyebrows glad that Draco picked up on his train of thought. He could do with the distraction quite honestly.

“Hmm. If I can’t touch you tonight then I think I need to get it all out of my system before we go.” Draco said creeping closer to Harry and running his hand under Harry’s top.

“That is an excellent idea.” Harry said with a grin.

*~*

They ended up having sex twice. Once was a passion fuelled quickie on the sofa and then they went back up to their bedroom to really take their time with each other. It was slow, gentle and loving involving another massage which Harry was starting to suspect Draco really loved. Both times were just as amazing as the first. 

Then they took about an hour to get ready, which was the longest time Harry had ever taken to get ready for anything before but he had to admit it was worth it. Draco did a really good job of giving his hair and beard a trim and Harry said he was never going to the barbers ever again. It was very useful to have a live-in boyfriend with so many skills.

Draco also tied Harry’s cravat for him and for the millionth time Harry did wonder how he coped with anything before Draco came back into his life. Draco spent several minutes admiring both of them in the mirror which amused Harry but he did agree that they made a very handsome couple, even if they were going as just friends. 

The whole wedding was taking place in the top wizarding hotel in London. Harry had been there before for a ministry Christmas party so he knew how posh it was. He’d also been invited to a few weddings there before but he hadn’t actually attended those.

The foyer was certainly very fancy and there were already quite a few people milling around. They immediately spotted Blaise, Fred and George and went over to greet them but there was no sign of Ron or Hermione yet. Harry could already sense lots of eyes on him and there was a photographer wandering around already who immediately pointed a camera in his direction but he just ignored it all.

Blaise greeted them first. “Looking good gentlemen.” He said, giving them both a handshake and a clap on the back.

“We know.” Draco said back happily. “Nice blazer.” He added taking a good look at Blaise.

“Yeah it suits you.” Harry agreed honestly.

Mostly Blaise was wearing his signature black. His black trousers were ultra shiny and even tighter than Draco’s. He had a crisp black shirt buttoned right to the top with a black bowtie around the collar. His muggle style blazer was the stand out piece though. It was black too but completely covered in a luxurious sparkling gold leaf pattern so the black was barely visible underneath. 

The twins typically had gone for more old fashioned outfits as that was more to their taste but it didn’t make them look any less stylish to be fair. Their tailcoat suit jackets were very Victorian steampunk and Harry impressed himself by recognising that. George’s was a deep red over black trousers and Fred wore the opposite colours with a black jacket and red trousers. They both had a white shirt on with ruffles on the chest and the cuffs. 

Harry gave them both a big hug. He still wasn’t a hundred percent sure what Draco and Fred discussed yesterday and that was fine, he wouldn’t pry but he thought it had been good for everyone as Draco was clearly fine with Fred giving him hugs now. Harry was happy with that, partly because it made greeting Fred less awkward and more normal, but mostly because it meant Draco was secure in their relationship which meant the world to him.

“So what’s the deal with you too then?” Draco asked Blaise and Fred. “Are you just here together as friends or as dates?”

“Dates obviously.” Blaise answered confidently.

“Just friends.” Fred said at exactly the same time.

They two turned to look at each other, Blaise raised his eyebrow and Fred sighed.

“Well this is awkward.” George replied with a half smile.

Just at that moment the photographer came over with Harry’s favourite journalist that he loved to hate. 

“Harry darling, lovely to see you again. I had hoped you would be here.” She said full of smiles and fake friendliness.

“Afternoon Miss Miller and it’s Mr Potter to you.” Harry replied politely. She was one of the better reporters at Witch Weekly to be honest, he didn’t mind her too much but only in short doses. Hopefully he could get this over with now and then relax.

“Oh Harry, we go through this every time.” She said with a playful touch of his arm which made Draco stiffen up slightly next to him, even though he was pretending not to listen to the exchange.

“Yes we do and it’s rather tiresome.” He said with a fake smile.

“So how have you been since the Quidditch match? What are you up to these days? We haven’t seen you much recently.” She said pointedly with her quick quotes quill scribbling down what looked like a descriptive paragraph on his outfit and the company he was keeping.

“I’ve been enjoying spending time with my friends and family.” He said automatically. “Speaking of which I’d like to get back to my friends and enjoy the wedding in peace now. Take care Miss Miller.” He finished turning back to the group knowing it probably wouldn’t be that easy but one could hope.

“Just a couple more questions before I let you go Harry, you haven’t given our readers much after all.” She said moving to stand in front of him again. “Will you be sitting on the groom's side or the bride’s side in the ceremony? And are you here with Mr. Zabini again? Is this another date? The Readers are still eagerly awaiting news on your new boyfriend. Are you definitely gay?”

“That’s quite a few questions there Miss Miller.” He replied with his practised ‘I am not amused’ look he often gave the press. 

“I expect I shall sit wherever the usher tells me to sit. Mr. Zabini is a good friend of mine not my date, we’re all here together as friends on the invitation of Miss Daphne Greengrass who is one of my closest friends now. I have not had the pleasure of meeting the bride but I did share some classes with the groom at Hogwarts and I look forward to seeing them both. It will be a lovely day I am sure. You should know by now that I don’t consider my sexuality to be an important issue for your magazine to cover.” He said ticking off all the answers to her questions on his hands.

“At least confirm for us if you’re in a relationship?” She pressed slightly with a sweet smile.

He wanted to glance at Draco to silently check this but he couldn’t risk her seeing. However just in that moment Draco walked behind Miss Miller and gave a subtle nod to him when she couldn’t see.

“As I’m in a good mood I’ll answer that honestly if you promise to leave my friends and I alone for the rest of the day. Photos are OK from a distance but no more questions.” He said with a challenging look.

She smiled at him and gave a small nod. “Agreed.”

“Yes, I am in a committed relationship.” He smiled back at her properly now, it was always nice to say that to anyone. “I hope you understand that publicity can put a strain on any relationship at the beginning which is why we’re keeping it quiet for now. However, you can tell your readers that I am the happiest I’ve ever been in my life.”

This time when she smiled at him it wasn’t the smarmy ‘journalist smile’ he’d seen before, it was softer and more genuine. “I’m happy to hear that Mr. Potter. Enjoy the wedding and the time with your friends.” She said gently and walked away without another word.

Wow, what do you know. Maybe he’d just learnt how to tell with the press. He turned back to Blaise and the twins who were looking at him happily.

“Nice man.” Fred said, clapping him on the shoulder.

“Yes that was well handled Harry.” Blaise added.

“Thanks.” Harry said looking around. “Where did Draco go?”

“He went to say hello to his mother.” Blaise said, indicating behind them.

Harry looked over to where Narcissa was standing arm in arm with Draco. There was another man there that Harry didn’t recognise, he’d have to ask Draco about that in a moment. Harry met Draco’s eyes across the room and they smiled at each other. 

Just then the ceremony doors opened and people started going in to take their seats. Harry watched as Draco gave his mother a kiss on the cheek and then came back towards Harry. He came to stand next to him just as Fred reluctantly took Blaise’s arm and allowed himself to be led into the room. George hung back to go in with Draco and Harry. 

“So what’s really going on there?” Harry muttered to them both as he gestured to Fred and Blaise.

“Blaise is being Blaise and turning the charm on his date, because in his mind you take someone to a wedding it only leads to one thing that night.” Draco shrugged.

“But Fred is insisting that he’s not sleeping around anymore.” George said in a low voice.

“Really? He's still saying that?” Harry asked quietly as they followed the crowd getting closer to the door.

“Yeah. He has a new Domme called Cassandra that he sees once a week but he wants to date and find someone to have an open relationship with.” George explained in a hushed tone.

“Yeah, I think that would be good for him. I hope he finds someone. Looks like Blaise isn’t getting laid tonight then.” Harry said casually.

“I wouldn’t be so sure. No one other than me has ever said no to him” Draco said with a smirk.

“I did.” Harry pointed out.

Draco laughed. “Blaise was never actually trying with you, you realise that right? Believe me, you’d know if he was. You haven’t seen him when he wants someone and he’s  _ really  _ flirting.”

“Yeah well you don’t know how stubborn Fred can be.” Harry insisted.

“So come on then gentlemen. What are the stakes?” George said with a knowing look.

“Huh?” Came the noise from Harry with a slightly puzzled look.

“Well you’re betting on this right?” George asked with a cheeky grin. “I want in.”

“How does that work?” Harry questioned back, shaking his head slightly in amusement.

“Well you said Blaise isn’t getting laid tonight.” George said looking at Harry and then he turned to Draco. “You seem to think that Blaise  _ can _ get Fred into bed. I think that Blaise will have sex with  _ someone _ tonight but it won’t be Fred.”

“Er, 50 galleons?” Harry suggested a bit clueless to the world of betting.

“Boring.” George said straight away.

“This weekend the six of us have a dinner party...” Draco started slowly with the look that he was planning something. “The two losers have to cook and serve dinner. The winner of the bet gets to be in charge of the whole dinner party and gets to boss the two losers around the whole night. No sexual acts or anything but he gets to decide what they cook, what they wear… that sort of thing.”

“Now  _ that _ sounds fun.” George said with an even bigger grin and holding out his hand to shake on it.

*~*

When they got to the doors of the ceremony room of the hotel an usher (one of Ernie’s cousins apparently who shook Harry’s hand wide eyed for far too long until Draco coughed and stuck his hand out instead) showed them to their seats. They were pretty near the front which surprised Harry but he guessed it had something to do with George being the Chief Bridesmaid’s boyfriend. George was sitting by the aisle on the second row with Harry next to him and then Draco, Blaise and Fred.

The ceremony room itself looked amazing. It was quite dark overall and the lighting it had was very effective. The floor was a dark wood but the centre aisle had a light gold carpet running down it with scattered rose petals. Either side of the aisles were these tall dark branches spaced out with fairy lights in them illuminating the way. It was the first glimpse of the ‘luxury gothic’ feel Harry could see as it was hauntingly beautiful. At the front there were three short steps up to a platform that was flooded with light by a hanging gold chandelier with black candles in.

Draco was looking around too. “Looks really good.” He said clearly impressed.

“Yeah, it really does.” Harry agreed.

Just then, Ernie came into the room with his best man from a door at the front left. He was greeting people on the front couple of rows on his side and looking around the room happily. He was wearing a very formal all white suit with a thick gold trim, a sparkling gold cravat and an elegant gold pocket watch on his waistcoat. He looked happy and handsome.

He locked eyes with Harry and immediately strode over confidently. Harry stood up and leaned over George slightly to greet him.

“Harry man, great to see you.” Ernie said loudly and lots of people looked over.

“Great to see you too.” Harry said genuinely. “Big day huh?”

“Yeah I know, I’m so excited.” He said with a beaming smile. “Gotta say, when Tori said you were coming I was stoked, so glad you could make it.”

“It’s an honour to be invited.” Harry said sincerely.

Ernie looked past Harry as Draco stood up next to him to say hello.

“Good to see you again too Draco. Sorry you and Daphne didn’t work out.” He said shaking his hand. Then he stepped back into the aisle and clapped George on the shoulder. “Bet this guy’s not sorry though.”

They chatted with Ernie a little more and then the best man, who Harry realised was Justin Finch-Fletchey came over to say hello too. By now the ceremony should have started but no one seemed concerned about the bride’s late arrival. Ernie and Justin moved on to say hello to a few more people in the rows further back. As Harry looked around he made eye contact with a few Ministry people he recognised and nodded to. Then gave a friendly wave to Ron and Hermione who were sitting on the Groom's side but towards the back.

Finally it was time for the bridal party to arrive and everyone was silent and watching the aisle. Daphne walked down first and she looked phenomenal. She was wearing a stunning black fishtail dress that was very form fitting but then flared out below the knees and trailed behind her with a short train. It had a large gold brocade pattern on the top and then again at the hem that was just touching the floor. The top of the dress had an illusion neckline with a piece of sheer black fabric and was sleeveless.

Harry knew nothing about makeup but he could still appreciate her slight smoky eyes and dark red lipstick. He was also drawn to the bouquet of black calla lilies, orange and deep red roses and some kind of dark green leaves and small red berries. It was tied together with a gold ribbon and she held it well as she walked up the aisle confidently with all eyes on her. Her blonde hair was neatly done in an elegant updo and secured with a gold grip with dark red jewels that matched her small drop earrings.

From his right he heard George let out a long low breath.

“She looks good. You’re a lucky man George.” Harry whispered to him.

“Don’t I know it.” He replied quietly, not taking his eyes off her. “I have no idea what she’s doing with me but I’m not letting her go without a fight Harry.” He said with a slight sad tone.

“No don’t. She’s an incredible woman.” Harry said not quite able to take his eyes off of her either. “But George, you’re a good man, the best really, and she’s lucky to have you too. Whatever is going on you’ll work it out I’m sure.” He said softly placing a hand on George’s knee giving it a gentle squeeze.

“Yeah.” George replied slowly.

As Daphne passed them she gave George a soft smile. It was obvious from his expression how much he thought of her and she seemed to appreciate it but Harry knew that look too. There was no doubt in his mind that these two had pretty strong feelings for each other whatever George’s doubts were.

Three other bridesmaids came down the aisle one after the other. They were all beautiful but had nothing on Daphne. Their dark red dresses were more simplistic in style, strapless, in at the waist and then straight down in a slight a-line skirt. 

Then suddenly all eyes were on the bride including Ernie’s who was looking very much in love. Harry could immediately tell she was Daphne’s sister, she had the same sort of sparkle in her eyes and mischievous smile even though she was slightly paler and brunette.

She was wearing an off the shoulder ball gown that showed off her tiny waist and was very princess like. It had sheer gold long sleeves and it was mostly all gold and sparkling at the top but faded down into a bright white full skirt. Her chestnut brown hair was up in a neat french twist and she was wearing a small gold tiara with black gems in.

Harry enjoyed the ceremony. It was very different to Ron and Hermione’s and to be honest Harry preferred the laid back style their ceremony had where a few people chimed in and some laughs were had. This one was quite stiff and formal but there was no doubt that Ernie and Astoria loved each other and were happy so that was the main thing. It was romantic and at one point both of them had slightly glazed watery eyes as they said their vows. 

It was at that point that Harry really wanted to reach out and hold Draco’s hand but he didn’t. Instead he just bumped his knee slightly with his own knee but Draco seemed to understand as he shifted slightly so that his whole leg was pressed against Harry’s. No one was paying them any attention anyway, the scene at the front was too captivating.

He wondered whether he and Draco would ever say vows like this in front of all their friends and family. Harry wanted to, no doubt about that. He had always hoped he would get married one day but did Draco? He’d freaked out a little when he thought Harry had been proposing earlier. Was that just because it was too soon (which it was to be fair) or was it because marriage wasn’t something he wanted?

*~*

A possible future wedding with Draco was still on his mind after the ceremony as they followed the crowd to the courtyard where they had champagne, canapés and wedding photos. He was introduced properly to Astoria and he congratulated the bride and groom sincerely on a lovely reception. He met Daphne’s parents too and lots of other people. It seemed like everyone wanted to meet him and he was shaking hands constantly and exchanging small talk with several guests.

He posed for photos when he was told and arranged into a few different positions with different groups of wedding guests. He tried to keep an eye on Draco throughout all of this but it was hard as he kept getting whisked away by someone or another. After a while it became a bit tiresome. 

Finally the photos seemed like they were finished and people had started to disperse a little. He really wanted to find Draco and check in with him but he couldn’t seem him anywhere as he walked around and scanned the courtyard. He was just about to give up looking for him when he suddenly got pulled into an alcove that had a little stone bench and an arrangement of the dark bare branches and fairy lights.

“Hey.” Came the familiar voice of his boyfriend. “Just go with this but don’t be too affectionate.” Draco said quickly and quietly.

“Ok.” Harry said simply, not really sure what was happening but happy to see him. He was wondering if he could get away with a cheeky kiss but it was a good job he didn’t because then Narcissa and the photographer appeared in front of them.

“Oh yes, this will do nicely Mr. Black.” Said the professional sounding voice that had been bossing everyone around for the last forty-five minutes. “Stand here Mr. Potter... That's it and face this way… lovely.”

Harry and Draco stood side by side slightly turned into each other but not quite touching as they had their photo taken. Then the photographer signalled to Narcissa and she stepped in next to Draco. Harry and Draco had to stand even closer now, the back of their hands just brushing together lightly. Harry smiled again but it was much less forced than it had been in the earlier photos with Draco by his side now. 

Next Harry got jostled out of position and Draco had his photo taken with his mother. Narcissa was wearing a flattering fitted black velvet off the shoulder dress with long black gloves and she looked beautiful. Harry could already tell that these photos would be lovely. He wasn't quite sure how Narcissa had arranged them but no doubt she had done something to make it happen. He was really pleased at the thought that he would have a photo of him and Draco together though and he knew Draco would like the ones with his mother in too.

After the photos Narcissa stepped forward to greet Harry moving her head to the side so that Harry could kiss her on the cheek. 

“Hello again Harry.” She said with a small smile. At least he was Harry still, you could never be sure with Narcissa.

“Good to see you again Narcissa, you look lovely.” He replied politely but with sincerity.

“Thank you. You look rather dashing yourself, that is a nice suit.” She replied with a small nod of the head.

“Yes well, your son has a good eye for these things.” He dropped his voice low standing close to her as he wasn’t sure of the implications if anyone overheard. “I just wore what I was told.” 

She smiled back at him properly this time, failing to hide her amusement. “That’s the best way Harry.”

Just then the man that Harry had seen with Narcissa earlier came from nowhere to where they were standing.

“Come Fergus. Let’s not hassle the young ones too much, they deserve to enjoy themselves.” Narcissa said as she turned the man who apparently was called  _ Fergus _ , what a name. “See you later dear.” She said fondly to Draco and then off they went.

“Fergus?” Harry muttered to Draco as soon as they were alone. 

“Yes it’s ridiculous isn’t it. Fergus Flint.” Draco chuckled quietly back. “So cliché too to bring your divorce lawyer as your date to a wedding just after your divorce was finalised.” He rolled his eyes.

“Is he related to Marcus?” Harry asked, remembering the old Slytherin quidditch captain from school.

“Yes, it’s his uncle.” Draco replied flatly.

“Does your mother…  _ like _ him?” Harry said tentatively. 

“I doubt it.” Draco said screwing up his nose slightly. “She couldn’t be seen to come alone and no doubt he has lots of connections. She wants to meet people, get in on the inner circles and establish a life for herself now that she can do as she pleases and talk to who she likes. He just wants a beautiful woman on his arms who has a powerful name.”

“Hmm fair enough I guess.” Harry replied. “Anyway, how are you? Are you doing alright?” Harry asked, turning to face him. “Sorry I haven’t seen you much.”

“It’s to be expected Harry, everyone wants to have their photo with you and be introduced to you. It’s not your fault.” Draco answered sympathetically. “The worst of that is over for now though. We’ll be going through for the wedding breakfast in the minute and then we’ll be sitting together for the meal. People will eat, drink and get into the wedding so hopefully they’ll leave you alone.”

“Yeah hope so.” Harry said half smiling. “Have you seen the others much?”

Harry had basically just spent nearly an hour talking to strangers and hadn’t even said hello to Ron and Hermione yet.

“Yeah been spending a fair amount of time with Blaise and the twins. Caught up with Daphne slightly but she was needed for most of the photos.” Draco answered, casually sipping on his champagne.

“Yeah I was with her on a few. She seems happy but we didn’t chat much. Have you seen Ron and Hermione yet?” Harry answered grabbing a glass of champagne of his own from a floating tray that wandered through the crowds. He hadn’t had a chance to get one yet and he’d missed all the canapes. 

“Yes I spoke to them for a bit and they introduced me to a few of their colleagues. It was nice.” Draco said quietly with a soft smile.

“Yeah?” Harry prompted.

Draco nodded slowly. “Yes, I’d forgotten what it was like, you know… to socialise like this. I enjoy it and people are actually being nice to me.”

Harry felt a warmth flood through his chest. He really wanted to take Draco’s hand right now but he didn’t, instead he just smiled at him encouragingly. “I’m glad. I told you it would all be fine. It’s public knowledge now that Lucius was a controlling monster, no one blames you and you’re not a Malfoy anymore. You’re just Draco and you’re a good guy, people will see that.”

“Hmm, yes I think they might.” Draco said so quietly that it sounded like it was mostly to himself but he seemed happy and at peace. It was a good sign.

*~*

The wedding reception was held in the massive triple ceiling height room that Harry remembered from the last time he was here. There was one long rectangular table at the front of the room and then rows of circular ones in front of it. In the middle of the room was an oval shaped bar with stools all the way round it and bartenders in the middle waiting to make anything you wanted. Apparently it was a fully open bar and guests didn’t have to pay for anything.

Behind the bar at the back of the room was a larger dance floor and a musical black grand piano playing by itself on a raised stage but it looked like there was a full band set up for later. On the left side of the room was a staircase that led up to the mezzanine balcony that wrapped around the entire room so you could go up there and look down on the dance floor.

The tables all had black tablecloths on them but the chairs were gold with cream cushioned seats. There were more light up black branches in little clusters around the room and there were floating lanterns up high above the tables too. In the centre of each table was a gold candelabra with black candles in and around the base was a slightly rustic arrangement of mini pumpkins, red roses, orange roses, dark green leaves and black calla lilies just like the bouquets.

Draco and Harry were informed they were at table three so moved through the room to find it. As they got closer they saw little gold pumpkins on each setting holding a black name card with white writing on. They found their seats and sat down next to each other. Then on Draco’s left Blaise and Fred sat down. Next to Fred was Justin Finch-Fletchey and his muggle girlfriend Jennifer who he quickly introduced to the table. There was a bridesmaid next to her who introduced herself as Violet and Harry recognised her girlfriend as Lisa Turpin, a Ravenclaw from his year. 

He looked over to his right at the two empty spaces at the table and was happy to see they were for George and Daphne. They arrived just as the waiters had started pouring wine for the table. Harry was pleased to see that George had a big smile on his face now and he helped Daphne to her seat like a gentleman and then took his own.

“You look happier.” Harry muttered to him.

“Well a gentleman doesn’t like to kiss and tell but… let’s just say I don’t think she’s breaking up with me.” He whispered with a wink.

“Told you.” Harry said smugly with a little nudge in the ribs.

George glances to his right quickly to where Daphne was engaged in conversation with Lisa and Violet. “Yeah…” George said slowly in a hushed tone as he turned back to Harry. “We still need to talk. I know there is something she’s not telling me but… I think we’ll be OK.”

“I’m sure you will.” Harry said confidently as he turned to Draco who was half listening to the conversation.

“Blaise is still persisting, I see.” George said to both of them with a look across the table.

Harry turned to see Blaise whispering something in Fred’s ear. The redhead looked slightly hot and flustered as he pulled the collar of his ruffled shirt slightly away from his neck.

“Yeah. I really don’t want to know what he’s saying, it takes a lot to make Fred blush.” Harry chuckled.

He paused as the waiters reached their section of the table. He asked for red wine, same as George but Draco surprised him by asking for rosé instead of white. Draco clocked Harry’s expression and shrugged.

“Real men aren’t afraid to admit when they like pink drinks Potter.” Draco said cheerfully. 

“Too right Draco darling.” Came a familiar warm voice from Harry’s right.

Daphne had finished her conversation with Lisa and leaned over George to engage Harry and Draco.

“Evening boys.” She said with a dashing smile. “Sorry I couldn’t talk much earlier but my duties are done for the day I think. Until Tori next needs to use the bathroom I’m yours.” 

“It’s really nice to see you Daphne.” Harry said sincerely. “We’ve missed you, we’ll have to get together again soon.”

“Yes, I’d like that. I’ve missed you too Harry. I know I’ve been a bit distant…” She said glancing at George placing a delicate hand low on his thigh and squeezing it slightly. “But I’ve just had a lot on my mind. I’m hoping things will be better soon.”

After that followed a lively discussion between Harry, Draco, Blaise, Daphne and the twins around one half of the table. It was really nice, the six of them chatting again in this beautiful setting, Harry was very glad he came and Draco seemed relaxed. He was also right about people getting into the swing of the wedding now and leaving Harry alone for the most part. The photographer was still around snapping at a distance but he thought it would be nice to see some of those photos. 

Daphne seemed to read his mind as the photographer came near suddenly insisting they all get up from their table and have a proper photo together over by wall seeing as the six of them looked so dressed up. As they stood there over on this side of the room they caught a glimpse of Ron and Hermione at their table full of Ministry workers. Daphne went over and grabbed them too, pulling them into the next photo. Harry didn’t put his arm around Draco’s waist like he wanted to but they did angle their bodies into each other slightly and pressed their shoulders up against each other.

As the others drifted back to their table Harry lingered slightly to say a proper hello to Ron and Hermione. Hermione looked beautiful in a burnt orange satin gown. It had a deep v-neckline and spaghetti straps loosely hugging her form and then trailing out in a slight fishtail at the floor. Her bushy hair had been tamed into a neat french plait and had tiny little gold rose shaped pins dotted in it.

She looked good next to Ron who was embracing his orange hair with a matching orange velvet jacket. It was loud but it suited him and the rest of his outfit was toned down with black trousers, a white shirt and a black bowtie. Harry had already said hello to half the ministry by now so he didn’t linger by their table too long before we went back to his just as the starters were being served.

Over their starter of spiced carrot soup Daphne entertained them with stories of the bride’s mini freak out this morning over every tiny detail that she thought would possibly go wrong. Harry did believe her, even if Daphne might have been using a little creative license in her retelling of the events, but looking over to the top table now it was hard to imagine the bride freaking out. Presently she just looked so calm and happy as she eagerly listened to her new husband talk about something that was keeping her parents on his left very entertained.

“They make a very handsome couple.” He commented as he finished his soup and took the glass of red wine in his hands again.

“Yes I suppose they do. Neither of them are really my type though.” Draco quipped loud enough for the table to hear.

Now that most people around the table had finished their starters, the conversation picked up including them all rather than just the small groups they had been talking in.

“Oh? Who is your type then Malfoy?” Justin asked before correcting himself. “Erm, sorry, old habit, what do you go by now?”

“Draco has always been my name.” Draco replied cheekily but before Justin said anything else he added. “She’s a bit too female for me and he’s a bit too blonde.”

Harry was surprised by that, he wasn’t sure if Draco wanted to be out properly yet but it made him happy that Draco was being himself.

That made a couple of people around the table chuckle. “So does that mean your gay Draco?” Lisa asked intrigued.

“Yes, hardly a surprise I think.” He said confidently.

“No indeed not.” She replied with a bit of a smile. “I always thought that you and Blaise would get together actually.”

“He wishes.” Draco said with that arrogant tone that Harry knew now was just him messing around.

Blaise laughed and shot Draco a wink. He was sitting back in his chair lazily drinking wine with his other arm draped on the back of Fred’s chair.

“Hang on, I thought you guys were engaged earlier this year?” Justin asked, gesturing between Daphne and Draco.

“It was fake.” Draco said casually. “Just to get Lucius off my back.”

That surprised Harry again but he was pleased that even though Draco wasn’t quite ready to tell people he was in a relationship with Harry, he was happy to be open and honest about being gay now that Lucius wasn’t a threat. He looked at Daphne who also seemed pleased with this based on the soft smile on her face as she looked at Draco. 

Harry leaned back in his chair slightly as he watched Draco and Daphne share a tender look, it was sweet. He realised that Daphne had probably been going along with the engagement break up story to anyone who asked her as she wouldn’t want to share anything that Draco himself wasn’t willing to. Now maybe she could start being honest with people too. She was amazing for giving Draco that type of support no matter how it might affect her personal life.

George seemed to realise this too as he smiled and leaned over to kiss Daphne lightly on the forehead. Harry looked away to tune back into the conversation.

“Sorry you had to put up with him Draco.” Lisa said across the table with a genuine smile. “I couldn’t imagine that. My parents were so supportive of me when I came out, it’s sad to hear that’s not the case with everyone.”

“Last I remember you were very straight Lisa. What changed?” Blaise challenged with a flirty look.

She broke out into a grin before answering. “One night with you was enough to convince me once and for all that I am in fact a lesbian. It’s been girls ever since.” She said with a flirty smile to Violet.

Fred laughed loudly as Blaise scowled slightly. “Oh that was great. Thanks for that Lisa, you just made my night.”

“Yeah laugh it up now Weasley. You won’t be laughing later once I have my way with you.” Blaise said reaching his hand up to stroke the back of Fred’s neck.

Fred shot him a challenging look. “We’ve been through this Zabini. Not going to happen.” Fred didn’t seem annoyed though, in fact it was quite the opposite, he looked a little pleased with the attention he was getting from Blaise.

“We’ll see.” Blaise said confidently. “The night is still young after all.”

Then he proceeded to top up Fred’s wine glass fully with a wink.

“So what about you then Harry?” Justin piped up again.

“What about me?” He asked casually, feigning ignorance.

“Well come on, we’re all sharing and we seem to have a wide spectrum of... preferences around the table. Where do you fit in? Gay, straight or bi? I’ve heard rumours of all three.” He said in a direct manner. 

“Maybe I don’t identify as any of them. Not everyone fits into a box.” Harry challenged just because he could, using a line that he’d used to the press before that made Fred smile across from him.

“Well said Harry Potter. I knew I would like you.” Violet commented. “I never looked twice at a woman before Lisa. I don’t identify as bisexual or a lesbian. I’m not really sure what I am and I don’t really care. I don’t need a label, I just know that I like Lisa and that’s enough for me.”

“There we go then.” Harry said with a smile. “Good for you.”

“Justin didn’t mean anything by that, did you?” Jennifer commented, holding her boyfriend's hand on the table.

“No course not. No judgement, just curious.” Justin said quickly, looking a little embarrassed. “But, er, none of our business anyway.”

“No, it’s not.” Harry said truthfully but in a way that assured Justin he wasn’t annoyed or offended. “That’s why I don’t usually answer those questions just because I am a private person and once you start answering some questions the journalists tend to make assumptions and put you in a box based on the type of person they think you are. Then people read about me and think they know me when they don’t. I prefer to just keep the general public guessing and let the people I meet in real life actually get to know me.”

“That makes a lot of sense and I completely see why you would want to do that.” Jennifer replied. “If it helps I didn’t know who you were until Justin told me when we saw you being pulled into every photo.”

“It’s always great to meet someone who doesn’t know who I am.” Harry said honestly with a smile. “Just for that, I’ll tell you that I do actually identity as gay. Just don’t tell Justin, keep him guessing!”

Everyone around the table laughed because obviously Harry had said it loud enough for Justin to hear.

“You’re funnier than I thought you’d be.” Violet commented out loud. She was definitely the most drunk at the table so maybe that was contributing to her outspoken honesty, or maybe that’s just who she was. 

“Erm, thanks… I think.” Harry said with a mock puzzled look.

No one else had a chance to respond to that though as the waiters came to clear their starter plates. It was at this moment that Harry asked Draco why they didn’t just vanish them. That’s what had happened when he’d attended the Ministry Christmas party a couple of years ago but apparently it was seen as a mark of opulence at a wizarding wedding to have actual paid servers waiting on people properly. Harry personally thought the whole general decor of the wedding was already a mark of opulence but there were some thoughts that were probably best left unsaid.

The waiters also came round to do a quick top of everyone’s glasses. Most people happily accepted, Violet rather enthusiastically so but Harry noticed Daphne was the only one who hadn’t touched her wine.

Violet seemed to notice this too and spoke up rather loudly. “Come on Daph, drink up! You didn’t have any of the bucks fizz this morning either. You got Tori down the aisle and you were sober for the photos like you wanted but now it’s time to relax! Oh we are so doing shots later. Harry you’ll do a shot with me won’t you?”

Harry though was only half listening and ended up agreeing to whatever Violet had just asked him. His eyes were surreptitiously on Daphne who had laughed off Violet’s remarks and agreed but then had discreetly pointed the end of her wand towards her glass from under the table. Harry could only see it as George was leaning back in his seat and seemed to be having one of silent conversations with Fred across the table. Harry was also leaning back slightly though and one look at Draco next to him showed him that Draco had seen Daphne’s movements too.

Violet was distracting the whole table now with stories from the hen party and Daphne eagerly took her large glass of wine and joined in. This meant that Harry was able to have a quick whispered conversation to Draco pretending to look over his shoulder slightly as he did so.

“You saw that too then?” He asked quietly.

“Yes, what on earth was that spell?” Draco muttered back. “Maybe she’s catching up if she didn’t drink this morning with her sensible head on. There is a spell to increase alcohol levels in a drink isn’t there?”

“There is.” Harry confirmed having used it in the past himself on a few particularly bad nights not long after the war. “But the wand movement for it goes the other way. The spell she did has the reverse effect.”

“It removes the alcohol from a drink?” Draco questioned in a hushed tone.

Harry nodded as Blaise looked over slightly at the whispering duo but clearly didn’t think too much of it. No one else was paying them any attention.

“We used to use it in the aurors sometimes if we were going undercover in a pub. We’d often get tip offs about potential illicit meetings happening but that way we could sit and drink a few pints to blend in but stay sober.” Harry explained to Draco alone. 

“Odd that she would need it though.” Draco commented with a slight puzzling frown.

Harry hesitated slightly but figured there was no harm as long as George didn’t hear him. “Hermione used it too when she was in the early stages of pregnancy but didn’t want anyone to know yet.” He whispered so low he wondered if Draco could even make it out, judging by his quiet sudden intake of breath though, he had.

“You don’t think…?” Draco asked slowly.

Harry had no time to reply though as George elbowed him sharply. “What are you two whispering about over here?” He said in a hushed tone of his own but definitely louder than their conversation had been.

“Just about how the bet is going.” Draco said, thinking quicker than Harry to cover their tracks.

“Ahh yes, the bet.” George said with a grin but clearly not quiet enough.

“What’s this about a bet?” Daphne said joining in now too.

George turned to fill Daphne in on the bet they had going just as the fish course started to be served to their table. Harry was getting used to having multiple courses now and actually expected a fish course. He had even recognised the fish knife at the table when he first sat down and silently wondered what was happening to him under the influence of these posh Slytherin lot. He was certainly glad they had come into his life though.

Daphne leaned across to engage Harry and Draco again. “I expect you might regret coming up with that idea Draco darling. Something tells me that you and Harry are playing right into this little prankster’s hands.” She said prodding George affectionately.

George put his arm around Daphne and grinned. “You free Saturday babe? I already know what I’m going to make these guys wear.”

“You’re that confident that you’re going to win?” Harry said sceptically.

“Yep.” He replied confidently.

“Guess we’ll see.” Came Draco’s simple contribution as they tucked into their sea bass.

*~*

The rest of the meal was fairly uneventful but it was fun, Harry really liked the group around the table. It was nice to get to know a few more people but still have plenty of familiar faces who he felt comfortable with. Draco obviously felt the same as he was completely relaxed now and being very sociable. Harry was enjoying another side to Draco that he didn’t always see. He thought of Draco as more introverted these days like him but he was reminded exactly how well Draco could captivate a group of people and lead the conversation so effortlessly. It was quite sexy actually. He obviously enjoyed this and Harry enjoyed watching him.

Harry was definitely grateful that he hadn’t had lunch as course after course got served. I mean that the fuck was a pre-dessert? Was that entirely necessary?! Harry barely touched his as he was still full from the quail they had for the main course even if it had been a small portion by George’s standards. He was fully prepared to just let Draco eat his dessert too thinking he wouldn’t be fussed about it. When it came to the table though Harry suddenly found he had room for the treacle tart after all which amused Draco no end. The dessert wine he was served though went straight to Draco which he accepted happily but did drink a glass of water too.

There was a bit of a gap between the fifth and the six courses for the speeches. He enjoyed the speech that Justin gave for Ernie, it reminded him of his own speech that he’d done at Ron and Hermione’s wedding. The other speeches though were a little dull if he was honest, maybe because he didn’t really know the couple that well. Still, he listened politely and laughed at all the right moments. Unfortunately they didn’t go on for that long.

When the final course did come out he really wasn’t fussed about it. He passed the cheese plate straight to George on his left and the glass of port he’d been served went to Draco on his right. When he was offered a coffee though he accepted happily. He’d been enjoying the wine but hadn’t topped his glass up for a while just taking a bit of a break from it remembering that apparently he’d half heartedly agreed to do shots with Violet later.

Sure enough not that long after the cheese course had been cleaned away, Violet came back from the bar with a tray of shots for the whole table. She passed them round and insisted everyone take one. When Daphne asked what it was Violet told her it was tequila and she screwed her nose up saying that vodka would have been a better choice. She passed hers straight to George who took it no questions asked and Violet only let her get away with it because Daphne said she’d get a round of vodka shots next and do two herself to make up for it.

Blaise was clearly a little tipsy as was Draco and the twins. Violet was quite simply drunk by this point but Harry noticed Lisa was almost completely sober and would no doubt look after her. Justin and Jennifer were on their way to being pretty drunk too.

Harry though had completely sobered up from his short alcohol free break and his coffee. He didn’t mind doing a couple of shots just to get a slight buzz back to get him through the rest of the evening but he definitely wasn’t going to indulge beyond that. Draco could if he wanted to, he was his own man after all but Harry definitely wanted to stay sober enough to be able to get them both home easily.

After a rather funny discussion around the table where Blaise tried to get everyone to admit their kinks but only succeeding in sharing a fair few of his own (something which definitely got Fred’s attention), Daphne went to get the round of vodkas she promised everyone. She came back with most of them floating along in front of her on a tray while she carried her own two shot glasses. Harry couldn’t help thinking she could have easily done the charm on her own shot glasses at the bar or swapped them out for water. It was a clever move.

Harry wondered if his suspicions were right about Daphne. Honestly he didn’t even know if her and George had even had sex, George had never volunteered the information and he’d never asked. Their first date had been a month ago now though and they clearly had been serious enough about each other to give it a label early on even if the last week had been a bit rocky. George was right though, the way she was acting today certainly didn’t seem like someone who wanted their relationship to end but could this explain the ‘thing’ that George suspected she was keeping from him.

Hopefully she would discuss it with George soon. He was a good guy and Harry knew he would support Daphne whatever she decided to do. Still, no use Harry getting ahead of the situation, he might be completely misinterpreting the signs. He decided he’d put it out of his mind until he heard any more from George or Daphne.

Then it was time for the couple’s first dance so they gathered around the dance floor to watch. Several people went up to the next level to watch from the balcony there too. It was a rather romantic sight and Harry felt Draco’s hand slip into his and give it a squeeze. They had plenty of bodies surrounding them blocking them from view so it was OK. No one was paying them any attention anyway.

At the end of the song though another romantic one played and other couples were encouraged to go onto the dance floor. George and Daphne immediately led the way and they were looking at each other very lovingly as they took their place next to Astoria and Ernie. Whatever was going on with Daphne, whether it had just been pre-wedding stress or whether she was pregnant, right now she looked very much in love and happy to share that with the world.

“I wish I could dance with you Harry.” Draco said quietly next to him as Blaise dragged a reluctant Fred onto the dance floor.

“You don’t.” Harry chuckled. “I’m a terrible dancer. Remember the Yule Ball?! We talked about this.”

“Yes and I meant what I said.” Draco spoke confidently into his ear. “I wanted to dance with you then and I want to dance with you now. You’re the only one I’ve ever wanted to properly dance with.” He said brushing his thumb over the back of Harry’s hand.

Harry paused for a moment and looked around him. More couples were going up now and other people were dispersing back to their tables or the bar. They didn’t quite have the crowd cover they once had but they were still holding hands and no one seemed to be paying them any attention.

He was about to be brave and say that if Draco  _ really _ wanted to then they could but then suddenly Narcissa was there. 

“Draco dear, may I have the first dance?”She asked with a smile and held out her hand.

Draco dropped Harry's and went to take it eagerly but then stopped and turned back to Harry a bit worried. Harry though just smiled at him. 

“Go on.” He said encouragingly. “I’ll be fine. Enjoy it.”

With that Draco smiled again and nodded at him before turning back to his mother and leading her onto the floor.

Harry then took himself up to the balcony which now looked a bit emptier so he could see the dance floor. He had a good view off up here and watched Draco with fondness. Him and Narcissa were moving around the floor with such effortless grace and it was nice to see that their relationship was growing strong. Harry knew how much Draco craved for his mother to be present in his life and it was clear there was love between them wherever may have happened in the past.

When the song ended Harry watched as they all swapped partners. Draco danced with Daphne and watching them together was just as mesmerising. Blaise was very gentlemanly partnering with Narcissa leaving the twins twirling around each other in a very flamboyant way earning lots of laughs and attention. 

All the other couples from their table were dancing too and Harry spotted Ron and Hermione dancing near them. Even though he’d been reluctant when Draco first asked he now suddenly wished he’d taken him in his arms without any hesitation and showed him off on the dance floor. He could have followed Draco’s lead and everyone who saw them together would probably know how Harry felt about him as he wouldn’t have been able to stop himself from staring into Draco’s eyes. 

Still, maybe it was best this way. He wanted today to be able Astoria and Ernie and even though he was sure his name would be mentioned in Miss Miller’s write up of the wedding in Witch Weekly, he didn’t want to overshadow the reason why they were all here today by effectively announcing he was with Draco. Their time would come.

Two songs became three and he noticed that Draco was dancing with Fred now which was nice. If it had been anyone outside of their little friendship group then Harry might have got jealous and Draco was probably aware of that but watching him now he just felt happy. Daphne and Blaise were paired up but Narcissa was dancing with Mr. Flint now which left George without a partner. Harry did think about going down there to join them but honestly he really didn’t like dancing and he was only interested if he could dance with Draco. If that wasn’t happening then he’d rather just watch.

He tracked George as he made his way to the bar and ordered what looked like a round of cocktails. He took them over to their table when they were done and seemed to be looking for Harry so Harry made his way down there. As he passed the dancefloor the song changed and he saw Draco offer his hand to Hermione. If anything Ron just looked grateful having danced four songs now and he quickly caught Harry’s eye and hurried over to him.

Draco looked at Harry too and Harry smiled fondly at him still silently encouraging him to enjoy himself as him and Ron made their way over to George together.

“Hey guys.” George said happily. “Was hoping you’d join us Ronniekins, got you and Hermione some drinks too.” He said passing him a glass.

“Coke?” Ron questioned looking at the liquid slightly confused.

“Long island iced tea.” George corrected. “Doesn't look alcoholic but it is don’t worry. I know mum’s got Rose for the night.” He said with a wink at his younger brother.

“Excellent.” Ron said as he took Draco’s seat next to Harry.

“Yours actually is just coke Harry.” George said passing it over. “I just figured you wouldn’t want anymore and Draco seems pretty merry so guess you’ll be apparatting him? But if you want something else I can grab it?”

“No this is great, you thought right. Thanks George.” Harry said, feeling relieved. If George had got him a cocktail he might have used that little spell Daphne appeared to have used earlier but of course George knew him better than most.

The three of them chatted about everything and nothing for a while happy in each other’s company. George filled Ron in on the bet they’ve got going and Ron surprised them both by saying how much he enjoyed Blaise’s company in the bar the other night. Harry was thinking how lucky he was that within a couple of months he’d fallen in love with an amazing man, made a couple of new best friends and now his existing friends all got along with them. Really, he was very blessed.

Draco and the others came back after the next song and George passed around all the drinks he’d gotten. They all chatted happily and were very relaxed but it was really hard not to take Draco’s hand again or lean over and kiss him. He  _ was _ happy but that would have just been the last missing piece of the picture and after a while it started to get to him. 

He wanted to fully relax and be himself but he was a tactile person and that would involve doing all those little touches he’d gotten used to giving Draco. Reminding himself not too was starting to get exhausting. It was a bitter reminder of how his fame sometimes stopped him doing things he wanted to do. As they sat here he had several men and women come up and boldly ask him if he wanted to dance. He politely declined all of them but he noticed it was starting to annoy Draco too. 

Harry withdrew from the conversation a bit and didn’t even notice when most of the others went back to the dance floor. As he sat there without the buzz of the wedding to distract him his mind wandered to the graveyard again as this was exactly the time he usually visited every year. The significance of the date dawned on him again and even though he thought he had dealt with it today he couldn’t stop himself from feeling sad as he looked at the stupid little pumpkins on the table. 

Halloween was hard for him and it probably always would be. 

Suddenly the sound of his mother screaming filled his head. It was the noise that had often repeated itself in his head during his worst moments and particularly on this date. He shook his head slightly and willed himself to tune back into the music filling the room instead. The worst thing was as Harry’s mood started to head south was that he wanted to seek comfort in the arms of his boyfriend and that was the one thing he couldn’t do right now.

“You OK?” Draco said, nudging him and breaking through his thoughts.

“Yeah, just tired I guess.” Harry said trying to sound convincing that the tiredness was the only reason behind his quietness. 

“Oh. Want me to get you another coffee?” Draco said casually. He didn’t seem too worried so maybe Harry had done too good a job of his little white lie.

“No it’s OK. Thanks though.” He said quietly hoping that maybe Draco might want to go home soon.

“OK, well if you want you can head home. I’m really enjoying myself to be honest so I’m going to stay but doesn’t mean you need to.” Draco said loudly over the music.

Harry didn’t want to tear Draco away if he was having fun. Draco deserved to have fun and it was really nice to see him enjoy himself but even though he was only acting a little drunk (mostly just a loud and more outgoing version of himself), Harry knew he’d had a fair amount and might have more which made him worry about apparating himself home.

“No, it's fine. I’ll wait for you, I’m glad you’re having fun. You can go back on the dance floor if you want.” He said as he noticed the others had all gone back now and Draco was looking over almost longingly.

“You sure?” Draco asked, clearly torn.

“Yeah go, it’s fine.” Harry replied, his tone a bit sharper than he intended.

Draco clearly missed the slight frustration in Harry’s voice though and didn’t need to be told twice and he walked away in the direction of the dance floor, his hips already swaying to the music.

It was a sign of Harry’s mood that he didn’t even appreciate the sight as much as he normally would. He sighed inwardly and got up to head in the opposite direction of the courtyard. Maybe some fresh air would do him good and then he’d go back inside with a smile on his face like nothing was wrong.

He found the bench in the alcove of the outdoor courtyard where he’d had his photo taken with Draco earlier. It was nice out here, cool, peaceful and relaxing. Looking up at the moon in the late October night sky was a mistake though. It transported him right back to the graveyard as he would always be there at night looking up at the moon.

He thought he saw a bright green light fill the sky but it must have just been his mind playing tricks on him. A second later it flashed again though and this time it was accompanied by the dying scream of his father. 

Then the sequence started playing like a video projected into the night sky. He was Voldemort as he placed his hand on the gate of the front garden swinging it open and strolling down the path of the little cottage. He could see himself as a baby through Voldermort's eyes squealing happily in the arms of his father…

_ No... no... NO! _

Thought Harry aware now that he had shut his eyes but not sure when or why. He forced them open and looked around at the courtyard willing himself to remember where he was and be in the present moment, not the past. His breathing was rapid as his chest constricted painfully. He forced himself to think of Draco and what Draco would say if he was here now.

_ Just breathe Harry. That’s it… Breathe with me… in… and out… in… and out… _

He said it to himself in Draco’s voice and it helped, it helped a lot. He imagined Draco rubbing his hand in soothing motions on his back and then helped too. His breathing evened out and he forced himself to look at his surroundings and be in this moment here. The fairy lights were even more beautiful in the branches now it was dark and looking at them helped too so he just sat there looking at them for quite a while.

*~*

Harry wasn’t sure how long he’d been out here but he was calm now and his mind was just blank as he felt time drift away slightly. After a while there was the sound of footsteps crossing the courtyard and a quiet voice calling out.

“Harry?”

He lifted his head at the sound of that voice and smiled. Seconds later he saw his boyfriend looking around the courtyard for him.

“I’m here Draco.” He called out softly.

“Oh good.” Draco rushed towards him and knelt down on the floor in front of the bench. He suddenly appeared very sober and Harry realised he looked worried. “Are you OK?” He asked full of concern.

“I’m fine.” Harry assured him hoping it was true now. He did genuinely feel mostly OK now, his panic had subsided and it really was peaceful out here. “Sorry if I made you worry, I just came out for some air.”

“Harry I’ve been a complete and utter idiot.” Draco said as he raised himself up on the bench next to Harry and wrapped his arms around him seemingly not caring who saw. “I’m so sorry. I’m the worst boyfriend in the world.”

Harry pulled back to look at Draco’s face which Draco allowed but he held Harry’s hand in his lap as they sat facing each other on the bench.

“You’re really not Draco, it's fine.” Harry said, half confused.

Draco looked away slightly sadly, sighed and then looked back at Harry. “Why didn’t you tell me? I mean, I guess I should have known really, the date is public knowledge now I think about it but it just never crossed my mind. Why didn’t you remind me though?”

Ah, so he knew then. “Fred told you?” He guessed.

Draco nodded looking a bit guilty. “We all got back to the table but no one knew where you were. I said I thought you might have gone home because I said you could as you’d gone all quiet and were clearly tired. Fred and George gave each other one of those knowing looks though and I could tell there was something wrong that I was missing. Fred suggested I go and look for you... that maybe you’d gone outside and then said if you weren’t here then he’d know where you’d be…”

He sighed again and gave Harry’s hand a squeeze. “Don’t be mad at him. I asked, I made him tell me. I just don’t see why you didn’t and I feel like such a useless idiot.”

“You’re not Dray.” Harry said kindly. “It’s not your fault, you didn’t know. I didn’t tell you because I just didn’t want you to worry about it.”

“But Harry it’s my job to worry about you. I want to worry about you.” He said pleadingly. “You have to understand how it makes me feel when Fred and George know this stuff about you and I don’t. I know we haven't been together long and there’s still stuff we haven’t shared but you’ve been close to them for years. It’s understandable but… it still hurts. I want to be the one who is there for you and I can’t be that person if you’re not honest with me about what’s going on with you.”

Draco took another breath and leaned forward so his forehead was touching Harry’s. “Please Harry. Next time… tell me, please.”

Harry nodded slowly. He could see Draco’s point and he knew if their situation was reversed he’d have wanted Draco to tell him. He could understand how Draco felt now he thought about it.

“I’ll… I’ll try, I promise.” He said quietly. “I just wanted you to have a good day today, I know this was a big deal for you and I didn’t want anything to distract from that. It was really nice to see you having such a good time.”

“Yeah well, now I feel like dick for drinking and dancing while you were miserable thinking about… about this day and what it represents for you… I should have known.” Draco said quietly looking away.

Harry could see how upset Draco was on his behalf and it made his chest hurt painfully again. He should have been honest with Draco from the start, he should have told him this morning and they could have dealt with it together. Now he’d just caused them both more unnecessary pain.

“I’m sorry. I think I understand and I should have told you.” Harry said softly reaching out and touching Draco’s leg gently. They were still sort of in a public place but there was no one around at the moment. “I’m not always great at admitting when something is bothering me and I’m used to trying to deal with stuff on my own… but I know how that I don’t have to, now I have you.”

“That’s right.” Draco said simply, looking up at Harry with fondness in his eyes. He hesitated slightly looking down at the Black family ring on his finger and stroking it gently. “So, erm, Fred said you usually visit the graveyard… around this time every year?” He said tentatively.

Harry nodded again, slowly. “I- erm, I went this morning.” He admitted. “I thought if I’d already been I could put it out of my mind and enjoy the wedding with you. It worked for… most of the day but then… then I started feeling a bit down and tired and it just hit me again I guess. I’m sorry. Sorry for being miserable and bringing you down.”

“Don’t be an idiot Harry.” Draco said affectionately. “I did have a good time today, more so than I was expecting and I’m happy about that. But you’re the most important thing in the world to me and you always come first. Come on, let’s get out of here. I can’t go another moment without kissing you.”

Harry looked up at him and smiled. “Me neither. Been dying to kiss you for hours.” He said quietly. “You sure you want to go though? I thought they were about to cut the cake?”

“They’ve done that now. I think you were out here for quite a while. I’m sorry I-” Draco sighed again. “I didn’t notice you’d gone at first… besides it’s just cake.” He said with a small shrug and a tiny smile.

“Salted caramel cake.” Harry pointed out. 

Draco’s eyes widened comically. “Salted caramel…” He said slowly to himself and Harry could practically see his mouth watering. Then Draco shook his head and spoke louder. “No doesn’t matter. You’re more important Harry. Let’s go. You want to go home or you want to go to… to Godric’s Hollow? I don’t have to come with you… or I can just hang back.” 

Harry was just thinking about the answer to that when they heard the sounds of heels crossing the courtyard. They separated themselves slightly and looked around but with relief they saw it was only Daphne. She had spotted them and was coming towards them with a white cardboard box.

“Hey.” She said softly as she approached. “I was hoping you’d still be here. I didn’t want you to go without cake.”

“You- you brought us cake?” Draco said, eyeing the box eagerly.

Daphne nodded and held out the box. Harry laughed to himself happy that his little Prince got to have some cake after all.

“Thanks Daphne, you’re the best.” He said rising from the bench and taking the box from her.

“You’re welcome.” She said with a smile. Then she reached out and squeezed Harry’s shoulder gently. “George just told me what today is for you. Thank you so much for coming anyway... both of you.” She reached out to Draco who had risen from the bench too and held out her hand to him which he took.

“It was so lovely to see you happy today darling.” She said to Draco squeezing his hand. “It means so much to me that you were here and enjoying yourself.”

Harry looked at Daphne closely, she looked like she had tears in her eyes which was unusual. Harry had never seen her cry before. 

“It was really nice to be here Daphne.” Draco said sincerely. “It was a lovely wedding, thank you for pushing me to come and for having Harry here. You always know what’s best for me.” He said with a slight chuckle.

Daphne now had a full on tear rolling down her face which seemed to surprise Draco too. He stepped forward to give her a hug and Harry stepped back holding the box and giving them a moment. 

Daphne accepted Draco’s hug and whispered to him gently but just loud enough that Harry could hear. “I’m sorry I’ve been out of sorts this week. I’ll tell you what’s going on I promise I just need to talk to George first.” 

“It’s OK Daph. Anytime you need me I’m here but yes you should talk to George. He’s a really good guy and he’ll support you no matter what. We all will.” Draco said to Daphne still holding her close in a rare embrace.

Daphne pulled back slightly and looked at Draco with curiosity. “You…” She started slowly. “Do you- do you know?” She asked in a slightly scared whispered voice.

“I don’t  _ know _ anything.” Draco said honestly. “I have one guess but I could be wrong.”

She smiled tentatively at him. “I think you know.” She said quietly.

Draco smiled at her and squeezed her hand but didn’t say anything.

Daphne laughed feebly. “My parents are going to kill me.” She said, wiping the tear from her cheek. “And that’s if Mrs. Weasley doesn’t first.”

“She won’t.” Harry said quietly not entirely sure if he was allowed to join in this moment or not. 

Daphne looked at him and held a hand out to him too. Harry put the box of cake on the bench and held her hand and Draco’s too. The three of them stood there for a moment holding hands for a short while before Draco spoke again.

“Talk to George.” He said softly but insistently. “And come to ours Saturday, dinner party? Then we’ll all go to The Burrow on Sunday. You’ll love the Weasleys Daphne. If they can accept me, they’ll sure as hell accept you.”

Daphne didn’t say much but she nodded in acceptance of all of that. “Thank you.” She said to both of them. She squeezed their hands and then let go. Draco moved away to pick up the cake box and Daphne went to leave too but she turned back to Harry as an afterthought.

“Harry, I know it’s not in the way that you would wish for… but you can still take Draco to meet your parents you know.” She said quietly so that only he could hear.

“Yeah… thanks.” He replied thoughtfully.

She smiled at both of them and then walked away back inside promising she’d pass on their goodbyes to the rest of the gang.

“Home?” Draco asked, offering his arm to Harry.

Harry shook his head. “I have some people I want you to meet first.” 

*~*

Harry apparated them into the centre of Godric’s Hollow thinking Draco might want to see the village and a little walk might be nice. It was quiet as they stood in the little village square. A few Halloween decorations were still out but the little trick or treaters would be all tucked up into bed by now.

The first thing that Harry did was to pull Draco in for a kiss. It was tender and loving and definitely didn’t last as long as he wanted it to but there would be time for that later. 

Draco recovered from his surprise at the apparition and the kiss, looking around him with curiosity. “Is this… Godric’s Hollow?” 

“Yeah.” Harry replied looking at the war memorial in the centre, knowing what it transformed into. Sure enough, as they walked past it changed from an obelisk covered in names, to a statue of a man, a woman and a little baby boy.

“Harry…” Draco breathed into the night sky as he looked at the statue in awe. He didn’t seem to know what else to say though but Harry didn’t mind, there wasn’t much to say really.

Harry said nothing either as they stood there for a while and looked at the statue. 

“I came here during the war, with Hermione.” He said eventually, breaking the silence. “It was the first time I saw it, on Christmas Eve of ‘97. Hermione didn’t want to come as she thought Voldemort would expect me to visit. She thought it might be a trap but she also thought we might learn something important. She was right on both accounts of course.”

“It- it was a trap?” Draco asked cautiously.

“Yeah. Nagini was waiting for us here, we barely made it out alive.” Harry said flatly. 

Draco reached for his hand and held it tightly. “Did you at least learn something important?”

“Yeah, we did.” Harry agreed tentatively. “But I also saw a vision of Voldemort's that I wished I’d never seen.”

“What… what was it? I mean- erm, maybe you don’t want to say.” Draco sighed.

“I’ll tell you.” Harry said quietly. “Maybe talking about it would help, I’m not sure but it won’t make it any worse. I- I can show you at the same time. Come on.”

Harry led Draco by the hand past the church which they would come back to later and past the pub which definitely had at least a few patrons in it this evening but none were looking out the window particularly. Still, Harry kept his head down as they walked down a dark street leading out of the village past a row of cottages. As the narrow lane opened up again into the British countryside Draco gasped catching sight of the last cottage in the village.

They came to a standing in front of the gate gazing up at the wreck of the old house. Harry told Draco then all about the vision. How he’d seen the vents of that night unfurl from Voldemort’s perspective as his father was killed first and then his mother had sacrificed herself for him. Draco put his arm around him and held him throughout giving him the strength to carry on. Someone telling Draco wasn't as bad as Harry thought it would be. Sharing it now wasn’t the same as thinking about it alone in the courtyard like he had earlier. Saying it now felt like he was unburdening himself rather than relieving a painful memory. Draco just let him speak and at the end he hugged him and held him close.

“Thank you for telling me and bringing me here.” Draco said quietly. “I hate that you have such pain in your past Harry but I want you to share it with me. Together maybe we can half each other’s pain.”

“Yeah I think we can.” Harry said honestly with a small smile. “Put your hand on the gate.” He encouraged quietly. 

Draco frowned in confusion slightly but he did as Harry said and gasped again as a sign rose out of weeds and together they read the golden letters there that reminded the world what had happened. Then all around the neat gold letters were the messages that Harry had read several times over the years left by wizards and witches over the years.

The older ones, wishing him luck in the war that had inspired him when he had first read them that night and the more recent ones that thanked him for what he’d done for the world. 

“Wow.” Draco said reading all the messages here. “This… this is... I’m really glad you brought me here. Thank you for sharing this with me.”

Harry wiped a tear from his eye and leaned over to nuzzle into Draco’s neck, holding him close. Draco pressed his lips to Harry’s temple as he wrapped his arms around him.

“One last stop before going home.” Harry said as he picked up the cake box from the ground and gripped Draco’s waist. 

He apparatted them directly into the graveyard of the church they’d already walked past, knowing by now the exact spot he wanted. He sat down on the ground in front of the white marble headstone just like he’d done this morning, only this time Draco came to sit next to him. 

“Hey Mum, hey Dad.” He said softly into the night air. “So you know the guy I was telling you about this morning?” Harry felt Draco’s hand gripping his own and holding it in his lap. “Well I brought him to meet you.”

He squeezed Draco’s hand and Draco swallowed thickly. “Hi Mr Potter, Mrs Potter.” His voice crackled with emotion.

“You don’t have to-” Harry started but Draco interrupted him.

“I want to.” He said simply as he cleared his throat. “I- I just wanted to say thank you, for your sacrifice, for giving us Harry. He saved the world for you, you know? To avenge you. Your son is the best man I have ever known and he is a hero, no matter what he says. You would be so proud of him. He’s not had an easy life and he misses you still but he has so many people who love him and will always be there for him. We’ll take care of him for you, all of us. I’ll make it my personal mission to make him happy I promise you. He’s my whole world and I’ll always love him so you don’t need to worry about him.”

Harry couldn’t speak as he watched Draco conjure his own wreath of beautiful flowers and laid them next to the bouquet that Harry had put there this morning. He had a lump in his throat and tears threatening to spill over in his eyes. He brought his fingers to his lips, kissed them and then laid them gently on the tombstone. Then he turned to bury his head in Draco’s neck again, no longer able to stop the tears from falling as he clutched onto his boyfriend for dear life and sobbed.

“Shh, it’s ok mon chéri.” Draco said softly as he rubbed his back and held him close. “Let me take you home now.”

Harry nodded into Draco’s neck as Draco helped him to his feet and picked up the cake box. Draco had sobered up remarkably quickly when Harry had needed him and now he was the one apparating him back to Grimmauld Place.

They landed on the step neatly and Draco led him inside. Draco summoned Kreacher and asked him to put the cake away and bring them both a hot cocoa in bed as they’d been outside for quite a while, especially Harry. He didn’t realise how cold he’d gotten until now completely forgetting about any warning charms in his fragile emotional state. 

Harry leaned on Draco taking strength from him as they went up the stairs. He stayed quiet in a peaceful and thoughtful state as Draco undressed him and then helped him into his pyjamas before getting himself into his. Kreacher came with the hot cocoa and took their suits away to be cleaned and hung back up neatly for them.

As Harry sat on the bed and drank his hot chocolate he felt the warmth flood back through him again and his strength returning to him after a long emotional day.

“Thank you.” He said to Draco reaching for his hand. “I love you.”

“I love you too.” Draco said easily with a big smile. “Thank you for taking me to meet your parents. I hope they would have approved of me.”

“I told them this morning that you make me happy. I’m sure that would have been good enough for them.” Harry said simply. “Today was a good day in the end, all things considered.” He added as he took the last gulp of his drink and set the mug on the bedside table. “The wedding was really nice, I'm glad we went.”

“Yeah, me too.” Draco replied, putting his empty mug on the other bedside table closest to him. “Do you… do you ever think about us doing that?”

Harry blinked rapidly and looked at Draco trying to process the question that had taken him by surprise. “Us… getting married you mean?” He asked tentatively. 

“Yes.” Draco replied with an encouraging smile.

“I- erm, well… Honestly?” asked Harry quietly.

“Of course. Honesty always, you know that.” Draco replied shifting closer to him on the bed and snuggling into Harry’s side still looking at his face.

Harry put his arm around him and drew him even closer. “Yes, of course I’ve thought about it, but we don’t have to if it’s not what you want. I… I always thought I’d get married on day and, erm, well have a family I guess. I thought I’d _ need  _ that to feel complete, to be truly happy... like the missing pieces of the puzzle. I… I  _ would  _ still like that one day but I also realise now that I  _ am _ happy already. Right here, right now, I’m perfectly happy and I don’t need anything else. I just need you.”

Draco smiled at him and raised his hand to card his fingers gently through Harry’s hair. He left his hand nestled in it at the back as he spoke to him.

“I’m really pleased about that Harry.” He said sincerely but then his smile grew even wider. “But you should know that I want to have  _ everything  _ with you. I want us to have the life you’ve always wanted, marriage, children, the works… and I’m not just saying that because it’s what you want. I’ve realised that I want it to, more than I ever thought I would.”

Harry felt like his heart would burst as he looked at the man he loved telling him everything he longed to hear. “You- you do?”

“Yes Harry, of course. Not- not  _ yet _ ,” Draco clarified. “but one day yes. I’d love to be your husband and to have a proper family with you.”

Harry beamed and did the only thing that made sense in that moment. He kissed him.

And then he kissed him again.

And again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Soooooo.....  
> What do you think?!  
> A lot to digest there right?!
> 
> Thoughts please!  
> Who do you think will win the bet?!
> 
> Also big shout out to my fave commenter Ruth for working out what was going on with Daphne!


	38. Draco: Tuesday 1st November

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Draco goes back to work but the day is a little different than usual.  
> Daphne has a heart to heart with Draco and finally tells everyone whats been going on, including George.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys,  
> I'm so so sorry that it's been such a long time. I'm completely fine and don't want it to sound like I'm making excuses but I've just had a bit of a hit with my health over the past two weeks and the heatwave didn't help!  
> I just really wasn't in the right head space to write and I was really struggling with this chapter at the beginning. It's come together over the past couple of days finally though so hope it's worth the wait!  
> Thanks so much for sticking with me and I hope that people are still interested in this story. I promise I am getting there, wrapping things up!
> 
> For all the Daphne and George fans out there this chapter is for you! ;) <3  
> (They don't have a good ship name... Any suggestions? Gaphne?!)

Waking up next to Harry again on Tuesday morning was nice, Draco would never get used to that feeling of opening his eyes and seeing the man he loves happily dozing next to him. He’d missed it yesterday when Harry had already been up before him. 

Really he should have known then that something was up but he’d just believed him when his boyfriend had told him he had a headache. Merlin, he’d felt stupid when Fred had told him what was really going on with Harry. He knew logically it wasn’t his fault, at the beginning if Harry didn’t tell him these things then he wouldn't know. What he definitely could do though was remember next year and hopefully all the other years to come that they are together.

It was a reminder of how much more they had to learn about each other though. It was easy to go day by day and not think about the past now that they had reached a place where they could both be happy. They were both sleeping better and didn’t need all the unhealthy coping mechanisms that they had once relied on to get them through because they had each other. 

However Draco still had so many questions about what Harry had been through. He wanted to know everything so that he could help him through all of his past trauma and be prepared for any future flashbacks or panic attacks he might have. Obviously he knew it was healthy for Harry to have his friends and family to rely on too outside of his relationship with Draco and he was pleased they had been taking care of him all these years. But he was here now and he’d be lying if he said he didn’t want to be the one to take care of Harry now.

He was thinking about this as he toasted some cinnamon and raisin bagels (a new discovery for Draco and a firm favourite). He did one for each of them as Harry made the coffee as usual and they sat down to breakfast together like they always did. 

“I was thinking that I would really like to press ahead with the book.” Draco commented aloud as he took a sip of his coffee. “I think you're right about it being a good time after Lucius’s incarceration, plus I think it would sell well this time of year as people start buying their yuletide gifts.”

“That’s true.” Harry added.

“Also…” Draco started slowly before sighing slightly. Harry didn’t say anything but he looked softly at him and gave a little nod of encouragement reminding him that honesty was always best. “Also, we’re getting to the tough parts now, the war and the- the things you never talk about like… what really happened in the forbidden forest-”

Harry took a sharp intake of breath and Draco could see his hand clench on the table. It was as he feared, this was obviously still something that Harry hadn’t worked through and needed to face.

Draco leaned over to place his hand gently on top of Harry’s and immediately he felt Harry relax so he finished his point without pushing the matter too far for now.

“I think it would be good for us to talk about the rest. I think we both need to and once we both know everything and have talked it out then we can really begin to relax into our new relationship and enjoy our time together.” He said gently.

Harry wasn’t looking at him, he was looking over to the wall staring at a particular spot like there was something interesting there, which there wasn’t. When he spoke he seemed distant.

“Yeah… yeah you’re right.” He said quietly before he finally turned to look at Draco once more and spoke more assuredly. “We’ll talk about it all I promise, it might be hard for me but it’s what I need for myself and for us. Let’s press on with it and aim to get the book out in the next month.”

Draco smiled at him and squeezed the hand that Harry now held. “Yes, beginning of December would be good. We’ll have to work quite hard on it during the evenings though as I need the days to get my Christmas stock out. I think it’s going to be a busy couple of months for both of us.”

“Well I can help you with whatever you need during the day and then we can write together in the evenings. We can ask Kreacher to cook more to give us more time. We can manage it I’m sure.” Harry said confidently.

“That sounds like a plan.” Draco said, bringing Harry’s hand to his lips to give it a gentle kiss before putting it back down to finish his breakfast.

Just then Kreacher came in with a message. Apparently George had just floo called from the hotel where he’d stayed overnight with Daphne to say that she didn’t feel very well today and he’d persuaded her to take the day off. He said he’d meet Draco at the shop in a bit just to check he’d be ok.

“Hmm hope she’s OK.” Harry thought out loud. “Do you really think she’s pregnant?”

“Well she more or less confirmed it didn’t she? So yeah… I’d say so.” Draco replied. “Do you think this is morning sickness? When does that start?” He asked cluelessly, he really didn’t know anything about pregnancy.

“Probably a bit early but it really depends. It can start from four weeks for some women so it’s possible she’s that far gone but then she would have had to conceive…” Harry trailed off with a frown but Draco got their first.

“...on their first date.” He said out loud, somewhat surprised.

“Yeah.” Harry agreed as if he’d just worked it out and gave a little look of surprise himself. “Well, guess we’ll find out soon enough, just hope she’s OK.”

“She’ll be fine, she’s tough and she has support.” Draco said encouragingly. “Anyway, I’d better go and see what I’m going to do about the shop.”

“Do you need me to come in?” Harry offered kindly.

“No, don't worry, this is why I trained Graham in running the shop floor. I know he’s not the most natural person with customers but he’s polite and he knows the products so I’m sure it will be fine. You concentrate on the book. If you still want contributions from the others then you need to start gathering those too.” Draco reminded him gently standing up and placing a hand on his shoulder.

“Yeah OK.” Harry agreed. “I’ll write the full story of Ron leaving and then coming back and saving my life and destroying the locket. I can write that bit on my own, it’s not too traumatic. I still haven’t told you all the details of that so you can read it tonight.”

Draco snorted. “Only you would describe an event where you almost died as ‘not too traumatic’.”

Harry simply shrugged. “It was actually one of my better near-death experiences. I’ve had worse ones.”

“I know my love, sorry.” Draco said quietly leaning down to kiss the top of Harry’s head. He felt like such a worryingly casual statement of that magnitude from Harry needed more exploring and it was definitely something Draco wanted to get into with him when he had the time, but unfortunately he didn't right now. “I’ll floo call you if I do need help but I’m sure we’ll be OK.”

Harry nodded and stood up too to give Draco a proper kiss goodbye. Then as Draco made to leave Harry called out to him.

“Wait, I haven’t made your lunch yet, you need to take something.” He said, quickly turning back to the kitchen.

“I just want to get there and speak to Graham to sort out the day.” Draco said grabbing Harry’s hand and pulling him back towards him. “Shop will be closed as usual from 12 til 1 for lunch so maybe you could bring me something and join me?” He asked softly, giving Harry slight puppy dog eyes.

Harry laughed slightly and kissed the tip of his nose. “Yes my prince, I can do that. You go now, I’ll see you at 12 unless you need me before then. I love you.”

“Thanks, love you too.” Draco said fondly back to him before he walked out the door.

*~*

When Draco let himself into the back of the shop Graham was nowhere to be seen. Usually he was already downstairs waiting to be put to work. Draco didn’t think much of it though as he was about fifteen minutes earlier than he usually was.

After a while though, when Draco had checked the shop, done a quick restock for the day, had a look in the diary at the appointments and made sure everything was set up behind the counter, Graham still hadn't come down. 

He tentatively knocked on the door leading to the flat. It was strange to think that he used to live up there. In reality it wasn’t that long ago but it felt like another lifetime. He heard a grumble from upstairs and the sound of someone staggering about, immediately Draco knew something wasn’t quite right. Graham was nothing if not professional and he’d never slept in for a work day before. 

A couple of minutes later a very pale and tired looking Graham opened the door. “Hey boss, I’m so sorry. I’ll be ready in five minutes I promise.” He greeted Draco with a croaky voice.

“Merlin Graham what the hell is wrong?” Draco asked with a worried frown.

“I’m fine, just a little under the weather but I’m good to work I swear.” The young apprentice rushed out gripping onto the wall halfway through as he started to wobble on the stairs.

“You’re clearly not fine to work.” Draco pointed out as kindly as he could. “Come on, let’s get you back upstairs.”

Graham’s expression got even more concerned at Draco’s words. “No, I can work, I promise. I’ll hide out in the basement but I can get on with the jobs, please. I- I don’t want to miss a day's pay.”

Draco got even more concerned at that. If he was honest he didn’t know anything about Graham. They focused on their work and he was proving to be a good apprentice as far as brewing was concerned but they never discussed anything personal. Draco was always polite to him but he liked maintaining the professional nature of their relationship. Now though he thought that maybe he should have made more of an effort to get to know his new young employee. 

He knew from George that Graham’s home life hadn’t been great and that he needed money and somewhere to live but Draco was under the impression that now he had a free place to live and paid work six days a week he wouldn’t be concerned about it but maybe he was wrong. Clearly Graham was still worried about his financial situation.

“Graham, you know that you get paid sick leave right? It was in your contract that I gave you last week when I took you on formally.” Draco pointed out to him gently. “I know my financial situation wasn’t the best when you first started and we were helping each other out but I thought we were clear now that I was taking you on as a proper apprentice. That includes the pay and all the usual perks.”

He hesitated before saying the next part but he thought it needed to be said. “I value my employees and I’ll always support you. If you need anything you just need to ask OK?”

Graham looked up at him slightly surprised and he was a bit shaky when he spoke. “I- Yeah… I guess. Erm, thanks I- I knew I was being paid now but I didn’t read the contract properly. You- well you’re a good boss and I really like it here. I just didn’t want to let you down or anything but yeah… I don’t feel that great if I’m honest.”

Draco sighed and shook his head slightly at the fact that Graham didn’t even read his contract. The young guy was weirdly trusting for a Slytherin, it was probably his resourcefulness that placed him in that house though. True, Draco didn’t know his circumstances really but apparently he’d had it tough since leaving Hogwarts two years ago but his work ethic really impressed Draco. Clearly the guy wanted to save up or had some other motivation for working hard and earning money.

Graham seemed young in this moment though, like he didn’t really know the ways of the world yet. Really Draco was only young himself but he often felt a lot older than twenty-five; Graham was only twenty.

“Yeah no offence but you don’t look great.” Draco said honestly as he reached out an arm to Graham to use to support himself when he noticed he was still weak and wobbly.

“Right, I’m putting my foot down. You are going back to bed and you’re going to stay there all day. I’ll bring you some potions and check up on you throughout the day when I can. You’ll still get full pay and when you’re feeling better we’re going to get to know each other properly.” Draco said kindly but still with an insistent tone.

“Yes boss.” Graham, smiled shyly at him and Draco wasn’t sure if he’d ever really seen him smile before. 

He was the strong, silent type that focused on the job and didn’t really chat, or smile or have fun. Sometimes he reminded Draco of a nicer version or Gregory Goyle. He had that sort of look and like Greg he wasn’t really academically clever but he could apply himself in a practical way if he was taught properly and worked hard. Although he always seemed very focused and serious. 

Draco was now starting to wonder if Graham ever had any fun. Did he go out? Did he even have friends? Maybe keeping their relationship strictly professional was a selfish move on Draco’s part, maybe Graham needed a friend. Draco could still be his boss and his friend. He knew what it was like to be a potion’s apprentice and his own tutor in France had been a sort of friend to him when he had needed it.

Draco helped get Graham back into bed where he gave him a glass of water and a cold flannel. The guy definitely had a fever and it turned out he’d been throwing up all night which was why he felt weak and shaky. Draco brought him some potions to help bring his temperature down, another one to ease his nausea and one more to help him sleep. 

He left him to it and quickly rushed back down to the shop. It was nearly time to open up and Draco was left with no employees to run the shop. He might have to ask for Harry’s help after all. Having Harry run the shop wasn’t ideal. Draco wasn’t sure if he’d be able to teach him all the procedures in time and he also wasn’t sure if Harry’s fame would be a good thing or a bad thing for the shop, although his appearance could be altered.

Maybe it would be better for Draco to cancel his appointments for the day and run the shop himself? He hated to let his customers down but these things happened sometimes and surely they would understand. Unless it was better for him to keep his appointments but close the shop for other customers not booked in...

Just as Draco was beginning to spiral out of control with anxiety and options, there was a knock of the back door and he remembered that George said he’d drop by.

He opened the door to find the redhead standing there with a casual stance and small smile. “Hey man.” Came the greeting.

“Morning.” Draco sighed in return.

“Oh, that’s not a happy hello. What’s up? You going to struggle today without Daph?” George asked him with a slight frown.

“I would have been OK but Graham’s sick too.” He said vaguely, gesturing to upstairs where Graham was now sleeping off his illness.

“Oh that’s odd.” George frowned. “Maybe him and Daphne have the same thing… There must be something going round.”

Draco didn’t like to tell him that he very much doubted Graham and Daphne were sick for the same reason so he just shrugged and said nothing.

“Well Verity is running our shop today. Tuesdays are pretty quiet so she’s usually on her own on the floor. We’re supposed to be working on our Christmas range in the back but Fred can manage without me if you want me here today?” George offered happily.

“That would actually be brilliant but only if you’re sure. I wouldn’t want you to get behind on making your Christmas stock, I imagine you’ll need a lot of it.” Draco said, surprised at his offer but very happy to accept it. 

George just waved his hand dismissively and gave Draco a warm smile. “Nah it will be fine. It’s getting to that time of year where we have to work evenings anyway to make stock. Lee usually gives up his evenings near Christmas too to give us a hand. Plus Ginny and Angelina both help out in the two shops throughout December as Qudditch doesn’t start back until the new year anyway. We have a whole system to deal with the busy time of year by now, sacrificing one day to help you out won’t make a big difference.”

“OK then, well it does sound like you’re on top of it so I won’t say no to the help, thanks.” Draco said relishing in the fact that accepting help from his trusted friends was so much easier for him now than it had been a couple of months ago. 

He stepped aside properly to let George in and as he did so the other man sent his magpie patronus off to Fred to tell him where he would be for the day. Watching George do that so effortlessly was another reminder to Draco that it was the one charm he’d never quite been able to manage. He knew the theory and had tried it lots several years ago but it had never worked. Truthfully he suspected that his happy thoughts and memories just hadn’t been happy enough for it to work. He thought back over the weekend he’d just had with Harry and half wondered whether it would work for him now. He certainly had some happy memories. 

He made a mental note to try it at some point but just for now he asked George to send one to Harry to update him on the plans for the day as Draco didn’t have an owl here, his mobile that Harry had given him didn’t work in Diagon Alley and it would be quicker than a floo call.

Draco quickly transformed into Pierre and together he and George opened up the shop. Fortunately Draco didn’t have an appointment until ten so he spent the first hour on the shop floor with George showing him in between customers where all the products were and how Daphne usually recorded the sales. George took to it easily though and it was obvious running a shop floor was second nature to him now. It didn’t even matter that he didn’t know the products that well as he seemed to just blag his way through any sale. The man could sell anything to anyone.

Surprisingly Draco did a bit of selling too and actually enjoyed it. He never thought of himself as a sales person. It was the creative process he enjoyed the most and being an introvert he preferred to shut himself away on his own and brew. However, just like at the wedding, he was reminded that once upon a time a version of him liked socialising and he could be quite charming when he wanted to be. True, he’d probably get annoyed if he had to interact with strangers all day every day but the little moments he spent interacting in the shop with customers was nice.

After that first hour though, his three morning appointments kept him busy until lunchtime, only giving him brief moments to check in with George and make sure he was doing OK. Just before twelve though, as he was getting ready to close the shop for their lunch hour, he had a look over the books and was impressed to see that George sold more in one morning than Daphne usually did all day.

When he told George that the man had laughed and joked that maybe he needed to give his girlfriend some sales training. Draco was just teasing him about the fact that it was probably his sales technique that managed to get him a girl like Daphne in the first place, when he heard the back door open and shut.

Draco already had a broad smile on his face at the thought of seeing Harry again, something which George noticed and teased him fondly for. Harry had obviously brought lunch for George as well because he was such a sweetheart and the two of them sat at Draco’s desk in his office to start eating whilst Draco went to check on Graham.

“How is he?” George asked upon Draco’s return.

“His fever has definitely broken so that’s good but he’s still just sleeping it off.” Draco explained as he came round the side of the desk and came to sit on Harry’s lap.

Draco loved sitting on Harry’s lap, Even though he was the slightly taller one, he was leaner and less muscly which made him the lightest out of the two of them and he felt so safe and loved in Harry’s embrace. Harry opened his arms and welcomed Draco wrapping one arm around him whilst the other continued to eat the homemade sausage roll that he’d brought.

“These look good.” Draco said as he picked up his own. “Did you make them?”

“No sorry, Kreacher did. I’ve been busy with the book like we talked about.” Harry replied with his mouth half full.

“How's it going?” Draco asked while George happily tucked into his second sausage roll already. 

“Yeah it’s going well actually.” Harry said happily as he ran his hand up and down Draco’s back. “Talking to you about a few little bits has definitely helped. I know you don’t know all the details and I’m filling those in now but just getting some of the things off my chest has been good.”

“Good, well done babe. I’m proud of you and I’m looking forward to reading it tonight.” Draco said pressing a kiss on the top of Harry’s head before continuing to eat.

After Draco had finished his sausage roll he turned to George who was tucking into the salad that Harry had brought too. “So do we know who won the bet yet?”

Harry perked up at that. “Oh I forgot about the bet.”

“Well,” George started with a bit of a grin. “Sorry to break it to you Draco but Fred went home and slept in his own bed last night so you’ve definitely lost.”

“Hmm, that’s interesting.” Draco thought out loud. 

He really thought by the end of the night Fred looked like he was having fun with Blaise. He thought there was a mutual attraction there but maybe he was wrong. Another chat with Blaise might be in order soon. 

“So I guess the real question is where did Blaise sleep?” Harry asked, attempting to stab his fork in some salad one handed as the other was still around Draco who was perched in his lap.

“Blaise slept in his hotel room which was next to ours but we went up first so I didn’t see if anyone went with him. If they did then they either didn’t stay overnight or they left pretty early this morning cos he was alone when I went to fetch him for Daph.” George explained looking at Harry and shrugging. “Guess we’ll have to rely on Blaise being honest to see which one of us is cooking alongside Draco.”

“Why did Daph need him this morning?” Draco asked, wondering again if his friend was OK.

“I dunno, she was poorly like I said and she said that she needed him so I didn’t question it. I know how close they are and that’s cool with me.” George spoke casually and Draco really did believe that he didn’t mind how close Daphne and Blaise were. He understood there was nothing there to be jealous of. Daphne and Blaise were like brother and sister in the same way that Harry and Hermione were and George of all people understood that. 

However when George spoke again there was a slight hint of concern back in his voice. “Blaise has a day off today anyway. She insisted that she was OK and wanted me to focus on the shops, both of them, wherever I was needed but she did tell me that we need to talk tonight.”

“Are you feeling OK about that?” Harry said George gently.

“Yeah I am. I guess I’ve known that there was something more going on that just the wedding but she’s also missing her Grandmother and coping with a new relationship. She’s had so much going on, I’ve just tried to be patient and be there for her when she needs me but also give her space. I was worried that maybe she was having doubts about us but after yesterday I’m pretty sure that’s not the case. I know we’ve only been together for a month but we’ve got something special and I think we can get through whatever it is that's going on with her.” George said seriously after finishing his lunch. 

“Well, time isn't everything. We’re perfect examples of two people falling in love really quickly and having a pretty solid foundation.” Harry said looking up at Draco fondly. 

“Yes, I guess we are.” Draco replied, draping his arm across Harry’s back as he snuggled more into his lap.

“Yeah, you guys are sickeningly happy.” George responded with an eye roll but there was a soft smile underneath.

“Well good luck with your chat with Daphne tonight. You’ll be fine, both of you, but we’re here for you if you need us.” Harry said smiling across at George who just gave a shy smile back and a nod in appreciation.

After that George nipped across the road to check on Fred and Verity whilst Draco and Harry sat and cuddled for a little while longer before Draco had to open the shop again. The afternoon passed in much the same way as the morning, with Draco popping in and out of the shop between appointments and George selling to every single customer who walked in the door. George used his charm and cheeky nature to book Draco several appointments for next week too, dropping the ‘Christmas’ word in as often as he could. 

Even though they weren’t written in the diary as neatly as Daphne would have done and there was a bit of inconsistency in the amount of information he had for each appointment, Draco couldn’t bring himself to be cross about that.

At five George left to get a few hours worth of work in on his own Christmas products before he was scheduled to meet Daphne, who apparently was feeling much better. Graham was also feeling a lot better when Draco checked on him before he went home. The shop would be closed as usual tomorrow anyway so at least Daphne would have an extra day and Graham insisted he would be fine to brew. Draco definitely needed an extra pair of hands tomorrow as they’d lost a brewing day today and George had sold so much that a lot of stock in the shop needed to be replaced. 

Draco invited Graham to come and brew at Grimmauld tomorrow so he could make sure he was well enough for it but also he hoped they could chat as they make the products and get to know each other a bit more. For now though he just wanted to get back to Harry. 

He stopped briefly by the small storeroom on his way out to pick up a box of vials just in case, wondering if he should try and get them to Daphne tonight or just wait until tomorrow. Then he walked out the back door and apparated home. He still loved the feeling of walking through the door of their home after a long day at work and having Harry greet him with the chamomile tea that he still always had ready. 

Harry looked after him, he always did and Draco had a feeling that he always would. The chamomile tea wasn’t just a thing he did at the beginning to impress Draco, it came from a deep desire for him to meet Draco’s needs and make him happy. Draco hoped that Harry would still be making him chamomile tea in fifty years from now.

*~*

After a quick catch up Draco had time before dinner to read what Harry had written that day. He was always a little tired after work but he wasn’t a procrastinator, if something needed doing he always preferred to just get on and do it so that he could relax later. 

Reading this section he understood why it had been tough for Harry to write. A couple of months ago he wasn’t even sure if he was capable of empathy but now his heart went out not only to Harry but actually to Ron and Hermione as well for everything they had to endure. Draco himself hadn’t exactly had it easy that year, Hogwarts hadn’t been the same that was for sure, but at least he had a warm comfy bed to sleep in every night and three meals a day. 

Harry had told him he’d been reluctant to write about how Ron had left as apparently it was still something the redhead regretted and felt embarrassed about, but Harry didn’t really know how to tell the story without that. Draco had encouraged him to tell the truth which he had, but the way Harry had written it definitely made him understand why Ron had cracked and walked away for a bit. 

The most important thing though was that he had come back and Harry had certainly focused on that and the loyalty that Ron had shown. Also, what a way to come back… Harry hadn’t been joking when he said that Ron had saved his life. In these chapters, Draco was forced to read two occasions where Harry had almost died. Even though Draco knew he was safe and in fact was currently sitting next to him on the sofa, it still made his chest constrict painfully when he thought about it. 

The chapter on Godric’s Hollow, before Ron had come back, was especially hard to read. Draco was glad that they’d already spoken about it a bit before so he was ready for it but it didn’t stop him from holding Harry in comfort for a good ten minutes afterwards. He was just thankful once again that Harry had come through that and that they were here now together in a world where Tom Riddle had been defeated.

“You ok?” Draco asked Harry after they had been sitting there in silence for a while.

“Shouldn’t I be asking you that?” Harry questioned with a small smile. “I’m not sure who is comforting who here.”

“We’re comforting each other.” Draco replied as they continued to cuddle on the sofa. After a few more minutes he turned to Harry to look at his face properly to ask him the obvious question on his mind. “So whose patronus was that you saw in the forest?”

Harry sat up too and smiled at him. “Ah, you don’t get to find that out just yet. I can’t ruin the end for you.”

Draco frowned at him. “Well that’s not fair.” 

“Hey, don’t you pout at me! I had to wait months before I found out and it was driving me crazy. You can wait a week.” Harry argued jovially. 

“Fair enough.” Draco said with a small smile, finding it hard to argue with Harry. “So three horcruxes down now huh? Which one comes next?”

“Well it was a long few months after that still. Not a lot happened with horcruxes until after I saw you at Easter. Hallows though… well that’s the next story I guess.” Harry said with a small mischievous smile.

“Hallows… I recognise that word but I can’t quite place where from.” Draco said trying to rack his brain but coming up empty. “What on earth are they and what have they got to do with anything?”

Rather frustratingly Harry just smiled at him again. “Oh Sweetheart, they have everything to do  _ both _ of us defeating Tom Riddle.”

What?! Draco was so confused. “I thought the key to that was the horcruxes? You telling me there was even more to it? And what do I have to do with it?”

“I told you before, you played your part.” Harry said leaning forward to quickly capture Draco’s mouth in a kiss whilst Draco’s brain was still going a million miles an hour. “All will be revealed my love, but not now. Now more talk of the war tonight. Kreacher will have dinner ready in a minute and after dinner we’ll just relax. We can put Friends on the TV again, I know you’ve been getting into that.”

“Hmm, yes OK then. Sounds good.” Draco agreed. 

This is what they talked about, focusing on the book in the early evenings while Kreacher cooked and then still having time together to relax afterwards. It was a good plan, Draco just thought it might be hard to switch off completely now there was another mystery to solve. Part of him just wanted all the answers now. Still, he was hungry so right now dinner sounded good.

*~*

They were just sitting down for dinner when there was a knock at the door. Both men looked across the kitchen table at each other puzzled. Of course they had a small collection of friends and family that knew where they lived now but no one ever came unexpected. Kreacher beat them to the front door whilst they were both sat there surprised and silently contemplating who it might be. However, the house elf didn’t even have the opportunity to announce their guest properly before she came whirling into the room.

“Draco, oh darling, I can’t do it. I can’t…” She said, rushing straight into his arms as he quickly stood up.

“Shhh, Daphne it’s ok. Everything will be ok.” Draco said automatically as he rubbed her back and tried to encourage her to calm down and just breathe.

She seemed panicked and Draco had never seen her like this before. Her breathing was uneven, her eyes were wide and her usually immaculate hair was frazzled. Draco was the one who was prone to overreacting and getting in a flap. Blaise was his best mate, someone who he could always have a good time with but Daphne was his rock. She was always calm and steady, taking everything in her stride and she excelled in a crisis. It was very strange for Draco to be the one to calm her down for once but he would definitely try if that’s what she needed from him.

As he was embracing Daphne, out of the corner of his eye he saw Harry put stasis charms on their dinner and started to brew a pot of chamomile tea. It made Draco smile that in Harry’s mind chamomile tea was now the ‘go-to’ remedy for anyone who needed calming down but Harry was a practical man and those physical gestures was how he showed love to those around him.

Draco coaxed Daphne into the lounge and sat her down on the sofa. She was barely letting go of him but that was OK, he could provide physical comfort to his friends a lot easier than he used to and he knew Harry wouldn’t care. 

Harry followed a couple of minutes later with the tea. He put the tray with the teapot and cups on the coffee table and hesitated slightly looking at the armchair and then at the door as if deciding whether to stay or go. Draco made eye contact with him and nodded towards the armchair and thankfully Harry took the hint and sat himself down in it. Daphne obviously needed Draco to be strong for her right now but Draco’s strength came from Harry, even if he was doing nothing but sitting in the same room as him. 

Daphne hadn’t said anything else yet and was just clinging to Draco like her life depended on him. Her strange reaction sacred him but he willed himself to push his own anxieties aside and be what she needed him to be.

“Daph, it’s OK. Just start at the beginning, tell us what’s wrong and we can talk about it.” Draco said to her gently.

Daphne still didn’t seem to be able to speak and Draco looked over to Harry in a silent plea for help.

“You were supposed to be meeting George about now right?” Harry said cautiously leaning forward in the armchair. 

Draco felt Daphne take a deep breath and she finally separated herself from him sitting herself up on the sofa but she still didn’t speak. Harry was watching her carefully and took it as a sign that he could prompt some more. “Have you spoken to him yet?”

Daphne looked over to Harry and just shook her head. “I can’t, once I say it then it becomes real.” She practically whispered.

“I’ve never seen you like this. Where’s my sassy confident best friend gone hey?” Draco teased slightly.

It kind of had the effect he was looking for as Daphne did laugh a little but there was still some tension in her body language. 

“I don’t know Darling.” She said with a tiny smile that didn’t reach her eyes in the way her smiles usually did. “I don’t know why I’m finding it so difficult to deal with but I couldn’t even tell Blaise today and I tell him everything usually. I had the whole day with him and I intended on talking to him about it but I couldn’t even say the words. If I can’t tell Blaise and I can’t even say it out loud to myself then how am I going to tell George? That’s why I came here I suppose. You two are the only ones who know and you worked it out without me having to say anything.” 

When Daphne had finished talking, she leant forward to pour herself a cup of tea and then tucked her legs up on the sofa beside her and started to drink it. The first barrier had been broken it seemed, she was still anxious but physically she seemed to loosen up a little. Draco took the opportunity to think about Daphne’s words and consider the best thing to say. He looked over at Harry who seemed happy to let Draco take the lead giving him a little nod of encouragement.

“So,” Draco began cautiously. “Let’s just get the facts straight first. Yes, we’re pretty sure we’ve guessed but if you’re coming to us for advice then we need to be clear. You’re pregnant right?”

Daphne didn’t make eye contact with him and just focused on her tea but the nod of her head was unmistakable.

Draco couldn’t help but smile to himself slightly and when he looked at Harry the man had a soft smile on his face too. Of course he did, his boyfriend bloody loved babies, Draco thought to himself fondly. He knew the priority right now was Daphne and her feelings but he’d be lying if he said the thought of a little baby Daphne didn’t make him all soft and sappy on the inside.

He reached over to Daphne and took the hand that wasn’t holding the teacup in his giving it a little gentle squeeze. This time she did look over at him and actually gave him a soft shy smile of her own. 

Draco took another deep breath and still holding onto Daphne’s hand, he started with what he hoped was the right approach. “The way I see it, and correct me if I’m wrong, if you can’t even say it out loud then it’s not specifically George’s reaction that’s concerning you, it’s something else. You know in your heart that George is a good man and won’t abandon you so what is it you’re really worried about?” He asked gently.

Daphne was still quiet but the fact that she didn’t deny it told Draco his instinct was right. She carried on sipping her tea and didn’t immediately put her walls up, so Draco felt like he could keep gently prompting her. 

“Is it your parents? Is it the fact that we were brought up to believe that marriage comes first?” Draco asked knowing full well the pressure of the pureblood culture even if Daphne’s parents were more liberal now and did love her, the old core values and expectations are difficult to shake. 

Daphne took her time gaining her composure. She placed the cup back on the table slowly and Draco noticed her hand was a little shaky. When she spoke though, it was clear and measured as always. 

“Thank you for the tea Harry. I wonder if you could do me another favour?” She asked, sounding more like herself even if she was still putting on a bit of a brave face.

“Of course, anything.” Harry said eagerly and everyone present knew that he meant it to. 

“I’m already late to meet George.” Daphne started to explain sounding a little guilty. “I was supposed to be going to his for dinner, he’s probably waiting-” 

“Say no more.” Harry cut her off kindly, already getting up. “I’ll go to him and just tell him that you need some more time. He’s the most understanding and laid back guy I know, he’ll be alright. There’s no hurry. I’ll stay with him, you have a good talk with Draco.”

“Thanks Harry, you’re a star.” Daphne said with a tiny hint of her usual sparkle. 

Harry hesitated slightly but in the end he looked decisive as he leaned down to give Daphne a warm hug and a kiss on the cheek. He then squeezed Draco’s shoulder affectionately and quickly pressed his lips to the top of his head before he left.

Daphne scooted closer to Draco on the sofa and simply rested her head on his shoulder. He put his arm around her and for a while they just sat there in comfortable silence. Draco knew that he’d started her down the road and prompted her enough, she would talk when she was ready now and if she just needed some physical comfort for a while then strangely enough he felt completely equipped to provide that now. 

Harry had opened his world up and changed him for the better in so many ways. Now that Draco was completely comfortable with himself for the first time in his life, he felt like he could provide comfort to others with confidence in a way he couldn’t before. He found himself trailing his hand up and down her arm, it was all completely platonic and it felt nice. As the moments went on he could physically feel Daphne relax and her breathing was completely under control now.

She needed to initiate the next step and Draco patiently waited until she decided to separate herself from him and sit up properly again. She turned to face him on the sofa and took a deep breath before letting out everything that she had probably been worrying about on her own during one of the most stressful weeks of her life.

“I know my parents have always been more liberal than most of the old pure-blood families but like you said, I have still been raised with those values and so yes, I am scared to tell them. Even if they are supportive they will still be disappointed and that makes me upset I suppose.” She said, sounding a little flat. “It’s just… well to be honest, mostly I’m just really embarrassed.”

“Embarrassed?” Draco questioned instinctively. That wasn’t what he’d expected her to say. “Because it wasn’t planned?”

Daphne scoffed at that and put her head in her hands briefly. “No it wasn’t planned. None of it was planned and it wasn’t the way it was supposed to be.” She took another deep breath before she spoke again and when she did it was in a quiet voice. “I wasn’t lying… you know, to Lucius.” 

Draco frowned at that too. What did Lucius have to do with any of this? Then it clicked. “Oh.” He said simply.

“Yes, quite.” Daphne replied and there was a slight awkwardness in the air then for the first time. “My first time with George was… was my  _ first time _ and it was on our first date no less. I mean what sort of person does that?! And then I was stupid enough to just forget about the contraception charm or the morning after potion. We have those in the bloody shop Draco!”

Draco reached out for her hand again gently forcing her to look at him. “Hey, you’re not stupid and you have nothing to be embarrased about. There is no judgement here, you know that right? With any of us, me Harry, Blaise and the twins too… that’s our thing right? Support always and no judgement.”

“Yes, I know that Darling, thank you.” She said with another small smile. 

“Besides,” Draco continued seriously. “It’s not just on you, George should have thought about the contraception side of things too.”

“Yes that’s also true I suppose.” Daphne considered. “I did think afterwards that it was a little strange he didn’t check. But yes, I suppose we both got ourselves into this mess.”

“Have you… have you decided whether or not you want to keep the baby?” Draco asked as sensitively as possible.

This time Daphne actually smiled properly and Draco was relieved to see a tiny sparkle back in her eyes again. “Yes, I’m keeping it, no matter what. Worst case scenario my parents don’t support me and George doesn't want anything to do with it. I'll still have you, Blaise and Harry. A baby couldn’t ask for better pseudo uncles than that. Also I have my own money. Not only am I earning but you know my trust fund has already been released to me, my parents set no conditions on it and they couldn’t take it back now even if they wanted to. Even if I didn’t I just so happen to be best friends with three of the richest young men in the wizarding world. This baby is going to be spoiled, I just know it.”

Draco was beaming by the time Daphne had finished talking. “See Daphne? You’ve gone from not being able to admit you’re pregnant to talking about your baby being spoiled with a big smile on your face already. Everything will be fine I promise. I know this isn’t what your parents would have wanted for you. I know deep down they still hold those traditional values of getting married first and then having children but they do love you Daphne.”

“They might not be happy but they’ll come round and do you honestly believe George is the type of guy to walk away from his own child? Harry wouldn’t let him anyway, he’d beat him around the head with a stick until he saw sense if he so much as thought about abandoning you and the baby. Not to mention the fact that he’s hopelessly in love with you and has just been patiently waiting for you to tell him what’s been bothering you, all the while hoping that you still want to be with him.”

Daphne’s smile was growing and growing now. She still seemed a little shy and embarrassed still but the anxiety had slipped away and there was a relaxed acceptance there. 

“No, I don’t think George would abandon his baby. He’s a really good guy and I do love him you know? Even if this wasn’t the way I thought it would happen, I did hope that he might be the father of my children someday, I just thought that we would be married first. I was hoping I’d be able to get my parents used to the idea of us maybe living together for a while first but that was as daring as I was going to be.” Daphne said with a small chuckle.

“Still, now that I’m actually allowing myself to think about it all and talk it through instead of just denying it… I do feel foolish for getting myself in such an anxious state. The worst case scenario isn’t really that bad and the best case… well that could actually be rather wonderful.” She finished giving Draco a shy smile and looking straight into his eyes with her full sparkle back behind her own.

“Yes it could be.” Draco said happily. 

He wasn’t ready for his own child just yet that was for certain, but the idea of getting more familiar with babies in general now that his best friend was having one… that was something that could be good for him.

“So are you ready to tell the father now?” He asked with confidence.

“Yes I am.” She replied sounding just like her normal bright and positive self. 

“Shall I floo call Harry to bring him here? Would that be easier for you?” Draco asked, already rising to his feet.

“Yes that would be great actually thanks, if you don’t mind. That way if it goes wrong you can comfort me some more and if it goes right then we can celebrate.” She said in a joking tone but she didn’t really look nervous anymore about it not going well.

“We’ll definitely be celebrating.” Draco said confidently. “Although you know Blaise will never forgive us if we celebrate without him.” He pointed out with a knowing look.

“He’s at dinner with a client.” Daphne replied, slightly unsure.

“So what? You know he’d want to be here. He’ll just lie effortlessly and say it’s an emergency and then make it up to the client with some big fancy gesture next week like he always does.” Draco said, rolling his eyes.

“Yes I suppose you’re right.” Daphne agreed. “I do feel bad that he doesn’t know and if we really do end up celebrating like I hope then it would feel wrong without him. You’d better tell Harry to bring Fred too in that case. George will likely want to tell him straight away.”

“I’m on it.” Draco said, on his feet and walking to the door. “We’ll hide out in the kitchen and I’ll send George in here for you.”

“Draco?” Daphne called out to him as he was leaving. He turned back to face her as she was giving him a gentle loving expression. “Thank you my darling. You have no idea how much you mean to me and everything you said was just perfect. You’ve been a big help.”

“It’s the least I could do after everything you’ve done for me.” He said honestly.

  
  


*~*

A little while later he was sitting back at the kitchen table with Harry eating the dinner that had been keeping warm. Only this time there was a confused looking Fred and a nervous looking Blaise sitting around the table too. 

Fred had a plate in front of him too courtesy of Kreacher as he never refused food but for once he was mostly picking at it rather than actually eating it. Blaise had refused the offer of dinner but had helped himself to a glass of scotch from the bar in the dining room, as if it was an everyday occurrence, and had already topped it up again once.

“So you’re really not going to tell us what the big emergency is?” Blaise asked for the millionth time.

“No, I told you, Daphne is fine but she just has some news that she wants to tell George first and then you.” Draco explained flatly having gone through it several times already.

“And you know what this big secret is but you’re not going to say?” Fred whined.

“No, like we said, we just happened to guess but it’s not our news to tell.” Harry replied in a monotone voice that made it clear he was sick of repeating himself too.

Harry and Draco shared a knowing look at each other across the table and a small smile before tucking back into their dinner. They already had two more plates waiting under charms for Daphne and George as they didn’t think either of them had eaten tonight either.

Daphne and George had been in the lounge for about ten minutes now and so far it had all been quiet. If Draco had to guess he’d say that was a good thing. Certainly there had been no shouting or dramatic squeals of surprise from George that they could hear so unless he was so stunned he couldn’t speak, he'd say the conversation was going well. 

Five minutes later, just as Harry and Draco were finishing their dinner, they heard the welcoming noise of Daphne’s warm laugh. At that moment all four of them shared a silent smile around the table and the slight worried tension that was in the air eased as they all started to relax.

Harry was as thoughtful as ever and asked Kreacher to take George and Daphne’s dinner through to them on trays, thinking that the serious conversation was over but they might appreciate a few more moments to themselves while they eat. 

It was a good move and it was the little things like this that made Draco’s heart warm. Harry was just so kind and considerate to all those around him. It’s not something he ever saw really at school but looking back he knew that Harry must have always had that side of him, afterall love was the power he had that the Dark Lord did not. And now his love was for Draco and their friends which made Draco feel like the luckiest guy alive.

After a few more moments, Draco suggested they all go and wait in the drawing room on the more comfortable chairs. Harry led the way and Draco brought up the rear with a bottle of chilled champagne and a tray of glasses ready. He set them on the coffee table which made Fred and Blaise light up again. They were both looking more relaxed now as they assumed whatever the news was, it would be good.

Harry was sitting on one sofa whilst Fred and Blaise took the other one, but still at a distance from each other. Instead of settling himself next to Harry like he would normally do, he went and curled right up in Harry’s lap in a way that he’d only done when they were alone. Harry looked surprised to say the least but he welcomed Draco with a smile.

“I love you so freaking much Harry.” Draco muttered into his ear.

He couldn’t see Harry’s face as he buried his own in the man’s neck but he could still sense the massive smile on Harry’s face when he spoke in a low voice into his hair. 

“What’s brought this on Mr. ‘I don’t like PDA or confessions of love’?” He teased.

“Just… just you. The way you always take care of everyone. I dunno, just needed to be said.” Draco confessed in a whispered voice, not caring  _ too much _ that they had a small audience.

“I love you too.” Harry said kissing the side of Draco’s head and running his hand down his back. “But it’s not just me. I know you like to deny it but you’re kind and loving to your friends too and whatever you said to Daphne obviously did the trick.”

“Oi, get a room you too.” Came Fred’s cheeky interruption.

Draco flushed slightly with embarrassment but pushed it down and turned towards Fred and Blaise with a wink. “Would have thought you two kinky bastards would love a bit of exhibitionism.”

“Start fucking and I’ll watch without complaint but this love declaration and mushy stuff should be done in private.” Came Blaise’s dry retort. He said it with a straight face but there was a slight twinkle in his eye that told Draco that he didn’t mind really and was happy to see his friend happy.

Before anyone had a chance to reply to Blaise they heard movement on the stairs and they all sat up a little bit straighter in anticipation. Draco scooted himself off Harry’s lap to sit on the sofa next to him and they all looked towards the door just waiting. 

Daphne came through the door first and her eyes were glistening slightly with recent tears but she looked relaxed and had a soft smile on her face. She gave Draco a warm nod of the head, just silently letting him know personally that it was all OK and it meant a lot.

George followed closely holding Daphne’s hand tightly and there was no doubt at all in Draco’s mind that he was happy, there was no faking that grin. They both came to stand by the coffee table and George had his arm possessively around Daphne looking at her with awe like she was his whole world. Daphne looked back at him and her smile grew, then she looked around at the other four who were eagerly awaiting what the couple had to say.

“Well?” Fred prompted when no one had said anything yet. 

Draco felt Harry find his hand and give it a squeeze in excitement as to what they both knew was coming.

“Well,” Daphne started in her usual calm, composed sort of way. None of the earlier panic was visible now. “We have some unexpected news I suppose. It was a bit of a surprise to both of us-”

George chuckled and huffed slightly as if to say ‘too right’.

“-but we’re having a baby.” Daphne finished with a shy smile and looked to Blaise first for his reaction.

Fred was the first to react jumping straight up off the sofa and staring at both of them with his mouth open. “You- you’re…” He stuttered standing in front of them and looking at each of them in turn. “I’m going to be an uncle!” He exclaimed practically jumping up and down.

“You’re already an uncle bro, like four times!” George pointed out with a smile.

“Yeah I know and I love them all to bits but Georgie… this is _ your _ baby. My twin brother is having a baby! This is… this is amazing.” Fred suddenly grabbed Daphne and swung her around in his arms which made her squeal in surprise. “Thank you, you’re amazing. I could kiss you.”

“You better not.” George said, taking a step forward. “Put her down for Merlin’s sake, she’s pregnant you idiot.” He said in a slightly threatening tone but in reality he didn’t seem that annoyed at all.

Fred did put Daphne down and gave her a chaste kiss on the cheek offering his congratulations. Then he turned to George and picked him up instead in a big brotherly embrace. George laughed and Fred put him down smiling at him.

“You really OK with this?” George asked in a slightly quieter, more serious voice. 

“Yeh, of course.” Fred insisted. “Why wouldn’t I be?”

“I just thought… you know, it means change I guess.” George mumbled but Draco could still make out the words. 

“We haven't worked it all out but I want to give this a decent go with Daph and I want to be there properly for her and the baby.” George said slightly louder holding Daphne close to his side once again as they got lost in each other’s eyes briefly. “I guess whatever happens something will have to change.”

Fred smiled at him with a slight hint of sadness. “It’s alright Georgie. I’ve known from the beginning that this relationship was going to be different for you but it’s what you’ve wanted for a while so I’m happy for you. Both of you.”

“Thanks Fred.” Daphne said warmly squeezing his hand.

She left Fred and George standing together as she came over to sit herself next to Blaise on the sofa. 

“Are you OK? You haven’t said anything.” Daphne said quietly to Blaise.

Blaise was rarely lost for words so Draco thought Daphne was right to be concerned but he knew that Blaise would do anything for Daphne and that her happiness meant everything to him.

“Just surprised that’s all. But if you’re happy I’m happy.” Blaise said in a rare moment of sincerity. 

“I was freaking out but I’m happy now.” Daphne said simply holding onto Blaise’s hand.

“That’s all I need to know.” Blaise said seriously but he wasn’t one to stay serious for long. “Although… you  _ did _ tell me that he was being a gentleman and all you’ve done is kiss.” He said in an accusatory tone with his signature raised eyebrow back on his face.

Daphne blushed slightly and looked down. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you. Don’t be hurt by that I just… It was special to me and it was a big deal, I just wanted it to be between us…”

“It’s ok, I was just teasing. You don’t have to tell me everything, I know that… as long as you know that you  _ can _ right?” Blaise was looking slightly awkward with all this serious and bordering on emotional talk. Draco thought he’d give it another thirty seconds before rescuing him. Harry had already stood up and given George a hug and was now happily chatting with the twins.

“I know.” Daphne said before giving Blaise a kiss on the cheek too. 

“Well, I think it’s time to celebrate now.” Draco said standing up finally and going to open the champagne bottle he’d brought up. 

He poured six glasses and Harry came over to help him out. Draco was surprised when Harry reached under his sleeve into his arm holster to take his wand but he allowed it. Harry then used Draco’s wand to do the spell on Daphne’s glass before handing it to her with a wink.

“You know the spell.” Daphne said, shaking her head slightly with that playful smile she was known for plastered back on her face. “You saw me do it at the wedding I’m guessing and that’s how you worked it out.”

“Yeah, pretty much.” Harry said shrugging slightly arrogantly with a cheeky smile. “I can’t do it wandlessly though but luckily yours has always worked well for me.” Harry said beaming at Draco and passing it back to him.

Draco took it with a slightly chuckle and tucked it back where it always was.

  
  


*~*

After they’d all had a celebratory drink and a bit of a chat, their guests all went on their way. Draco had given Daphne the box of pregnancy safe anti-nausea potions, which she was very grateful for, and told her to rest up and they’d talk on Thursday. George and Daphne still had a lot to chat about and Daphne’s parents were still a concern but it seemed like she was secure enough now in the fact that her relationship would survive this even though it was new. 

Really, Harry and Draco had never been concerned about how George would take the news but they were still pleased to see that their faith in him had been right. Daphne was right about one thing too, money did make a difference and there were all fortunate to have that. Her, George and the baby could have any future they wanted to have and that really was something to be grateful for.

Draco knew that Harry would be happy to offer them a home here if it ever came to it but at the end of the day, Daphne by herself could afford any house she wanted to if her parents did ask her to leave. He hoped it wouldn’t come to that though, he knew how happy Daphne was in her Grandmother’s old house and it was certainly large enough for George to move into when the baby came, even if Blaise didn’t move out.

It had been a long day and they were still recovering from a long weekend so Harry and Draco found themselves tucked up in bed a little earlier than usual. Surprisingly Draco’s rare sappy and romantic mood was still there, although if he was honest with himself these sort of feelings were always close to the surface nowadays.

As they were cuddling in bed Harry was running his hands through Draco’s hair and holding him close. “Did you mean what you said yesterday? Do you really want a baby with me one day?”

“You know I don’t say things lightly Harry.” Draco responded kissing Harry on his bare chest. “If I said it, I meant it.”

Harry was quiet for a moment and in their position Draco couldn’t see his face but he could tell he was thinking, on the verge of saying something. He pushed himself up on his elbow and lay on his front looking at Harry who was on his back looking straight up at the ceiling.

“Say what it is that you want to say.” He prompted.

Harry looked at him then and smiled. “You know me so well.” He said fondly. 

Draco smiled too but didn’t speak, he just waited for Harry to get it out.

“Well… there is something I suppose that I probably should tell you, I guess I just thought it was too soon.” Harry said slightly nervously. 

“All of this is ‘too soon’ on paper, we’ve discussed that. Our whole relationship has been a bit of a whirlwind and we’ve jumped into the deep end but it’s been amazing so far.” Draco pointed out, trailing a finger lightly over Harry’s chest as he spoke. “We agreed on upfront honesty so just tell me.”

“Yeah, you’re right.” Harry placed his hand on top of Draco’s and brought them to rest in the centre of his chest. “So, this doesn’t necessarily mean anything for us if you don’t want it to. It’s something that I started last year just because I think that all couples should have the option to have their own biological child together no matter what their sexuality. I suppose I invested hoping that one day I would be able to benefit from it personally but I don’t need any sort of promises from you on that. I wanted you to know about it that’s all but I’m not asking you anything and there’s certainly no timeframe-”

“Harry,” Draco stilled his rambling with a firm pressed down with the hand on his chest. “You always do this. You need to start at the beginning and actually tell me what it is you’re trying to say.”

“Right, sure, sorry.” Harry said with a slight chuckle. He swallowed and then said it straight. “An auror I used to work with visited a magical fertility clinic after her and husband found out they couldn’t have a baby and it worked for them. She said the clinic was amazing and it got me thinking… So I approached them and asked them if they thought it would ever be possible for two men to have a baby, or two women, and apparently it was something they already wanted to research, they just didn’t have the funds or the resources.”

“So you invested.” Draco filled in for him automatically suddenly understanding where this was going. 

He was surprised to be sure, he didn’t even know that was a possibility having never thought about it before. Harry continually amazed him in all the right ways and this was just another example of his good nature. 

He definitely believed that Harry invested because it was the right thing to bring another option of equality into the world and not just for his personal gain but when he really thought about it… the option of having a baby that really was half his and half Harry’s… 

Wow, yeah, that was something.

“So we really could have a baby together one day? Without a surrogate? One of us would carry it and it would be 100% genetically ours?” He asked slightly breathlessly.

“Well… yeah hopefully. That’s the idea, if you- if you want to.” Harry said twitching slightly with nerves but still biting back a big smile.

“I want to.” Draco said impulsively. “I definitely want to.”

“Yeah?” Harry said unable to hide his grin anymore.

“Yes Harry, you kidding me? That really would be magical.” Draco scooted himself up the bed slightly and brought his head to hover over where Harry’s lay on his pillow. Their faces were inches apart now and grey eyes were searching green in the most intimate way. 

“It would be. Magic and the things it can do still amaze me.” Harry all but whispered.

“You amaze me.” Was Draco’s reply.

He didn’t even wait for Harry's response because he just couldn’t go another second without kissing him. They kissed everyday, multiple times a day, so by now Draco thought they had kissed in every possible way there was to kiss but sometimes it still felt like he was kissing Harry for the first time. There were the quick little kisses just to say hello or goodbye, there were the gentle kisses of reassurance that they both needed sometimes, there were the playful kisses, the romantic ones, the passionate ones, the sexy ones…

This kiss though was one of those kisses that said everything they needed to say without words. A kiss that spoke again of how committed they were to one another, a kiss full of promise for the future.

And if it heated up towards the end and turned into something else… well that didn’t make it any less sincere, that was just another promise for the future too.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always please let me know what you think! It would just be nice to know if people are still reading this or not! Thanks!
> 
> Who is excited for Daphne and George?! They are going to have their cute little shopkeeper baby way earlier than anyone thought!  
> Wonder if they will end up moving in together and if so where? What will Fred do? Will George and Daphne get married too? Now or in the future? So many questions still!
> 
> So Blaise didn't take Fred back to his hotel room after the wedding... do you think that they will get together eventually? And if they do will it just be a fling or something more?!  
> Do you think that Blaise slept with someone else or did he give up for once and go to bed alone?!
> 
> Love all my readers and you keep me positive! I've missed hearing from you in the time that I haven't been posting updates! Will definitely try and get the next chapter out soon!


	39. Harry: Wednesday 2nd-Thursday 3rd November

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We learn more about Graham's story and situation as he comes to Grimmauld Place.  
> Harry gets into a spot of bother with the aurors but then him and Draco do manage to spend time talking about the Hallows and Draco has a big revelation.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not super happy with this chapter to be honest... I might wake up in the morning and regret posting it but I've been staring at it for hours and I can't quite decide why I don't like it and what I would change without just starting over! So... meh, it;s here!
> 
> Potential trigger warning for repressed memories.  
> I don't really know if repressed memories from past trauma works like this so it may not be representative of what happens. Sorry if that's a case but I guess take it with a pinch of salt and a bit of creative license.
> 
> I had always intended on Draco having memories that he'd repressed as he didn't have all the context at the time and just didn't understand it or want to understand it so he blocked it out as a coping mechanism but I'm not sure I've dealt with it in the right way.  
> I intended for him to have lots of little moments of realisations as Harry explains more and more, Draco would have flashbacks and slot in pieces of the puzzle. I feel like this story has got a bit too big for me though and probably has a mountain of inconsistencies as I can't quite remember what I've said before despite reading back over my work a thousand times!  
> I know I said early on in this story that Draco was in the room when Harry and Voldemort's final duel took place though and that was always my intention all along so I hope this does all make sense to you!  
> If it doesn't and it's crap then be honest and I'll work on it or go back and rewrite it!

Breakfast was now Harry’s favourite meal of the day, which was very odd because up until two months ago he wasn’t always guaranteed to even have it. He never knew where or when he’d be having breakfast, what he’d have or whether he’d even be sitting down for it. 

Sometimes he used to just grab a coffee and a pastry at a coffee shop by the ministry and shove it in whilst walking. Sometimes Kreacher would pack him something and he’d have it at his desk. Sometimes he would have breakfast at the flat with the twins but now he had much more of a routine and he liked it.

He was never someone who had to have a routine before and he _did_ like the fact that his days were all a bit different now that he'd broken out of the monotony of going into the office everyday. But starting his days in exactly the same way actually offered him that strong sense of comfort and belonging which he’d always longed for.

Waking up with Draco everyday was a gift and something which he would never take for granted. They would shower together more often than not and on days like today where Draco wasn’t going into the shop, they could take a little longer enjoying each other's bodies. Harry liked to remind Draco just how hot he was in Harry’s eyes and wanted to keep that fire they’d discovered on their initial attraction to each other. So far at least, they definitely still had it.

They moved past each other effortlessly in the kitchen too and didn’t even need to discuss it. Draco would do something basic for both of them for breakfast whilst Harry would make the coffee. It still made Harry smile to think back to those first mornings when Draco had first moved in and Harry had to teach him how to make toast. 

Today Draco seemed to be in a sweet mood as he toasted some pre-made lemon and raisin pancakes that Harry had picked up from the local Tesco metro round the corner. He slathered his own in maple syrup but didn’t even ask Harry if he wanted some as he knew that Harry would prefer salted butter on his. It was the little things like this that made Harry smile. The little everyday ‘relationshipy’ type things that he’d always wanted and now was lucky enough to have.

Draco carried the plates over to the table whilst Harry brought over the coffee and they sat down in the same spots as they always did to plan out their day and check in with each other.

“I’ve invited Graham over to brew here with me today just so you know. I didn’t want him to brew alone if he’s not feeling a hundred percent yet and I just thought it might be nice to get to know him a bit. Mostly we will be really busy, there is genuinely a lot to make but I want to make sure he has a decent lunch break so you can join us if you want?” Draco asked.

“Yeh I’d like that. I’ll make something light for the three of us. Just give me a bit of warning when it’s a good time for you to take a break.” Harry replied.

One pancake and a few sips of coffee later, it was Harry’s turn to lay out his plans for the day. 

“I’m going to do some more writing this morning but I’m around if you need me. Then I’m picking Teddy up at three. I’m going to bring him here for a bit so he can pick out his bedroom and tell me how he wants it to look. I’m hoping he will draw me some pictures and give me some ideas so I can pass them onto Dean.”

“Oh great, Teddy will love that I’m sure and I’m glad Dean’s on board to do the room.” Draco said with that soft smile he always got when he talked about Teddy.

“Yeah Seamus is busy on another job but Dean said it wouldn’t take him long to do it by himself anyway so he’s coming by tomorrow to get it done.” Harry explained. 

“He’s bringing a couple more people from the firm though who specialise in gardens so they’re going to clear it out all tomorrow to give us the blank canvas we talked about. They said it should only take a couple of hours but it depends how many surprises they come across. They asked me if there were any dangerous plants out there. I said that I had no idea but given that it’s the Black ancestral home then it’s likely.”

“It’s more than likely.” Draco agreed.

“Yeah, that’s what I thought.” Harry chuckles slightly. “So the team may end up being here all day and if it’s really bad then potentially Friday as well.”

“So are you still going to Aunt Andromeda’s for dinner?” Draco asked after finishing off his last pancake.

Harry was a bit surprised and frowned at him slightly. “ _We_ are going for dinner. I thought that was clear?”

“Oh, well I wasn’t quite sure if I was invited or not when you mentioned it.” Draco said, hiding behind his coffee mug slightly.

Harry leaned over the table and took Draco’s free hand. “Of course you’re invited you idiot, they’re _your_ family and your mother will be there too. I’m sorry I didn’t make it clear, I just assumed you knew but I’ll communicate better in the future.”

“It’s OK, it’s probably a safe bet to assume that to anyone who isn’t as insecure as me.” Draco laughed slightly in a self-deprecating way.

“Hey, no.” Harry said squeezing his hand. “From now on you should always know that if I’m invited somewhere then you’re invited too because all my family and friends have accepted you and I don’t care about the opinions of anyone else. I always want you by my side.”

He knew that Draco had come on leaps and bounds but sometimes he forgot how insecure Draco could still be and he would have to try harder to see things from his point of view too.

After breakfast Harry went to his study and did a couple of hours writing whilst Draco greeted Graham and the two of them went to brew in the basement. Harry asked Kreacher to pop in and ask Graham what he liked to drink whilst he made him and Draco their usual mid morning lattes. Turns out Graham is just a simple tea man so Harry put a teapot, milk, sugar and a mug on a tray and floated it down with a tray of cookies (also bought from Tesco this time) and a cinnamon latte for Draco.

A further two hours of brewing and writing later Harry made a simple chicken and bacon caesar salad with garlic bread for lunch and it was nice to have Graham here and get to know him better. The young guy did seem a bit awkward here in their home. He very much still treated Draco as a boss. Whilst it was nice to see someone respect and admire Draco for his talents and his business brain, Harry hoped that Graham would open up a little and relax around them. Draco might not be as bothered but Harry always felt stiff and awkward if someone wasn’t being completely relaxed around him. 

“Graham was telling me that his sister is the real potions genius in their family.” Draco said over lunch. “I mean Graham here is better than he gives himself credit for but if she’s as good as he says she is then I might have to snap her up when she leaves school too.”

“Is she in her last year?” Harry asked Graham.

“Yeah, just doing her N.E.W.T.S.” Graham mumbled not really offering anymore information than necessary whilst still being polite.

“Is she a Slytherin too?” Harry questioned, trying to engage Graham more in conversation.

“Nah, she’s the smart one. She’s in Ravenclaw and she’s completely obsessed with potions and alchemy. She has even done studies into muggle chemistry in her own time.” Graham said with a fond smile. It was clear he thought a lot about his sister and it was obvious that he was happy to talk about her. Clearly this was the way to get him to open up. 

“Technically she’s my half sister.” Graham continued as no one had stopped him. “Her mother was a muggle but she never knew her. I think Sarah, that’s my sister, struggles with the loss of her mother more than I do with mine. She really likes muggle studies and wants to connect with that part of her I suppose, having not actually grown up around muggles at all.”

“I’m sorry neither of you ever knew your mother. I know how that feels.” Harry said reaching out to grip Graham’s shoulder quickly before letting go again. In a way it was funny to think of someone being part muggle but growing up as a witch not knowing the muggle world at all. It was almost the opposite of Harry’s life.

“Yeah, it’s a bit shit.” Graham shrugged and then quickly turned to Draco. “Erm, sorry boss, I didn’t mean to swear.”

Draco just laughed. “It’s fine, you’re right. It is a bit shit.”

“What about your father? Did you know him?” Harry asked tentatively.

“Yeah… he wasn’t a nice man though. Wasn’t around much for us. He was a snatcher in the war and tortured muggle families for fun which didn't sit well with either of us obviously but Sarah was really affected by it. He died in Azkaban last year and my grandparents fucked off to Germany as soon as I became of age and could legally care for Sarah, so it’s just been the two of us really. We’ve always been close.” 

“Well it’s nice that you have each other at least and you have us now too.” Harry said kindly. 

“Erm, thanks man.” Graham said, looking a bit shy and awkward but still grateful. “I don’t really know what happened between my dad and my mum or Sarah’s mum. He was married to my mum, I just about remember her but it’s faint. Then I think he must have cheated on her with Sarah’s mum. I guess my mum left him over it and Sarah’s mum left her abandoned on my father’s doorstep to care for but that’s as much as we know really. He refused to talk about her and we got in trouble whenever we asked about her to him or to my grandparents who sort of raised us. We both always felt like we were just a burden to our family though, no one really wanted us but I’ve always tried to take care of Sarah the best I can.”

“She’s lucky to have a brother like you.” Harry said sincerely.

“Yeah and if you want to join the ‘my father was a dick’ club then let me know. So far it’s just me and you but I could probably find us a few more members, especially from Slytherin.” Draco said with a snort and that earned a faint chuckle from Graham.

“Sarah lost her mind when I told her I’d been taken on for a potions apprenticeship by someone who did a potions and alchemy masters in Paris. That’s what she wants to do but erm, well… it’s just me and her and we can’t really afford it. That’s why I’m trying to save my money for her. I’m putting it all aside in the hopes that I’ll have enough for her first year at least by the time she leaves school but erm, yeah guess we’ll see. She doesn’t think she’ll even get in but I know she will.”

“She could come and do some work experience with me in the summer after her exams and then I could write a reference for her. It might help her application.” Draco suggested.

Graham just stared at him open mouthed and slightly in awe. “You’d- do that… for her?”

“Sure.” Draco said casually. “Everyone deserves a chance and if I can help her with her dream then… Well I’d like that.”

“So would she.” Graham said looking ever so slightly emotional. “Can I write and tell her? Please? She’s a bit down at the moment and it would really give her a boost, I know it.”

“Of course you can.” Draco smiled. “I might write to the potions master at Hogwarts and see if there are any other promising potions students who need a leg up in their career. Maybe I could even go and visit them next term and see for myself.”

Harry smiled fondly at Draco who had lit up at the prospect of helping potions students. He felt like he was falling in love with him all over again. He stood up to start clearing the plates but kissed the top of Draco’s head as he did so.

“You’re a good man.” He mumbled into Draco’s hair just loud enough that he would hear.

He left them both to it after that. It was quite heartbreaking to hear Graham’s story but it was also nice that him and Draco had found each other. Harry thought that Draco would enjoy being able to help out young students who loved potions but had difficult family circumstances and not enough money to pursue their dreams. 

Of course Harry would be happy to help too and had some spare cash lying around but he wasn’t going to get involved in this unless Draco asked him. If he knew Draco then the man was already planning on paying for Sarah’s full tuition at the Paris university and would probably even write to his old tutor about her too.

*~*

The rest of Wednesday passed in a relatively normal way. Harry got a couple more chapters of the book done and this part was actually coming together quite nicely. He was actually looking forward to having the Hallows chat with Draco.

He’d just gotten to the bit just before Malfoy Manor when it was time for him to leave and pick up Teddy. It was a good place to stop anyway as the next bit he wanted to write with Draco given that it involved both of them and he knew Draco would want to add his perspective. He thought about Narcissa too as she had been there that day and he wondered what had been going through her mind at the time. 

He still needed to talk to her about the forest too but somehow he thought he wasn’t quite ready for that discussion. He didn’t know how much Draco knew about that but he got the feeling that Narcissa had never spoken about it with him. He couldn't make up his mind if he wanted Draco there when he talked to his mother or not but that would be a decision for another day.

Teddy’s class was a bit late in coming out today and Harry had gotten there early so he was able to have a nice chat with Fleur whilst she waited for Victoire. She seemed a little down and frazzled and when Harry asked her what was wrong she said that she was just getting a little tired of just being a mother all the time. Of course she was quick to point out that she loved her children and Harry was also quick to reassure her that he understood and wasn’t judging. 

It seemed like Fleur just missed having something that was just hers and even said she was a little envious of Hermione having a career and being a mum, even though she said she couldn’t work four days a week in a job as demanding as hers. It was an interesting discussion and Harry had an idea whirring around his mind but he needed to talk to Draco about it first.

When Teddy eventually came out his teacher explained to Harry that she needed to have a talk with the whole class as there had been some bullying going on but she proudly told Harry that Teddy had stuck up to the bully and told him that he was being too mean to the other boy. Harry also told Teddy that he was proud of him for trying to stop the bully and as a special treat he apparated them both to Hogsmeade to get some treats from Honeydukes before coming back to Grimmauld Place.

They even stopped in to see Lee at that branch of Weasleys Wizarding Wheezes as Teddy had never seen that shop before. They ended up buying a few things there too of course. Lee tried to tell Harry he was under instructions not to let Fred and George’s former investor pay for anything but Harry had given Teddy the coins and told Lee it was a valuable lesson for him to pay for things himself and use his math skills to work out the right money.

When they got back to Grimmauld Place, Harry put the Fudge Flies and the Chocolate Cauldrons he’d bought for Draco on the kitchen table with a little note. He also bought a box of Cauldron Cakes for Graham and left a note on those so that he would know they were for him. Then he put the Pumpkin Pasties in the fridge with a note on them to say they were to take to Dromeda’s just in case Draco saw them and decided he fancied one, which Harry wouldn’t put past him.

To Harry’s surprise Teddy chose the slightly smaller room out of the two opposite Harry and Draco’s. When Harry asked him why though the reason was even more of a shock. Teddy was adamant that Harry and Draco would have a baby one day and that the baby would need the bigger room because he’d heard Uncle Ron say that even though babies were small they took up loads of room.

That made Harry laugh and he was once again taken back by how smart and how observant Teddy was. He picked up on everything that anyone said and always remembered it. He was looking forward to telling Draco Teddy’s reasoning how he could feel free to laugh and joke about the two of them having a baby after finally being secure that Draco wanted it as much as he did one day. 

Harry brought some pencils and crayons and they spent a while on the floor of that room with Teddy drawing and talking about what he wanted. Harry stuck all the pictures up on the wall with a temporary sticking charm for Dean tomorrow and told Teddy they would do their best. 

He wasn’t surprised at the theme Teddy had asked for but the picture he drew did take him by surprise in a way and it really warmed his heart. If Teddy wanted that on the wall then Harry would make it happen and he would probably keep the original picture for himself. Maybe he could put it in a frame and hang it in his office next to the picture that Draco had drawn for him. 

Then he took Teddy back home, remembering to take the pumpkin pasties with him. Draco would join them in time for dinner but he had already warned Harry that he might be brewing a little later than usual today.

Just as Dromeda was starting to serve dinner in her cosy dining room, they heard a knock on the front door which they assumed was Draco. Harry had given him the address obviously but Draco had never been here before so of course he was too polite to just walk in. 

Teddy jumped up from his chair very excitedly and announced that he was going to let Draco in. Harry could hear Teddy’s excited squeal that confirmed it was indeed Draco at the door and the young boy announced loudly, as the footsteps got closer, that he’d saved Draco a seat at the table next to him. 

Draco made eye contact with Harry first as he walked through the door hand in hand with Teddy and the two lovers smiled at each other but it was his Aunt and then his Mother that Draco greeted first with a kiss on the cheek. “My apologies for cutting it so fine for dinner. We just had a lot of products to make today but my apprentice and I were very productive.”

“Not to worry Draco dear, we know you’re a busy man and it’s just nice to see you.” Dromeda said kindly.

Draco came round the table to Harry and bent down to kiss him on the lips lightly before taking his seat between him and Teddy. 

“Thank you for my Honeydukes treats.” He said with a smile.

“You’re welcome, my sweet-toothed Prince.” Harry said quietly, taking his hand under the table and giving it a gentle squeeze.

“We were only talking this morning about your shop as Andi still hasn’t seen it. We might stop by tomorrow, maybe we could come just before lunchtime and then take you out for lunch?” Narcissa suggested warmly engaging Draco back into the conversation as Dromeda continued serving the dinner.

“That would be lovely Mother, thank you.” Draco replied. “I’d love to hear how the plans for your new home are coming along.”

“Oh yes, I have lots to update you on.” Narcissa said smiling. “And I have to thank you for your recommendation Harry. I’ve been in communication with Mr. Thomas and Mr. Finnigan a few times this week and they seem like very professional and respectable gentlemen. Mr. Thomas in particular has had some good ideas for the courtyard garden I’d like in the middle of the property and then how to structure the rooms around it.”

“Yeah they’re both great but Dean is definitely the more creative one whereas Seamus just loves demolishing things the most.” Harry said with a chuckle.

“Yes he did seem to be particularly excited about the prospect of ‘blowing up’ the old Manor.” Narcissa said with a slight smile. She turned to Draco with a more serious look. “It’s scheduled for Monday if you wanted to see it one last time or witness it. No obligations either way, I just thought you should know.”

Harry felt Draco stiffen up slightly besides him and heard the slow inhale and exhale he took before speaking. “Thank you Mother. I don’t think that will be necessary but I appreciate it.”

After that Harry told the table how Teddy stood up to a bully at school today and Teddy took over for him telling them the full story. He was happy to be the centre of attention for a bit and relished the praise that people gave him. The conversation flowed from there and all in all it was a really nice evening that finished once again with Harry and Draco reading a story to Teddy before bed. 

*~*

Thursday started in much the same way only without the blowjob in the shower that Harry had received from Draco on Wednesday. He didn’t complain though, he knew the mornings were always slightly more rushed when Draco had to go into the shop and that was perfectly understandable. He’d just been hoping to return the favour as they’d both been too tired last night and that meant that Harry hadn’t touched Draco properly for a couple of days. 

Sure, that wasn’t really that much time at all but since they’d got together they had tried to connect on a physical level with each other every night and they both just missed it when they didn’t. Plus the fact that Harry’s libido had gone into overdrive since they’d actually started having sex. He actually loved bottoming for Draco and was enjoying sex more than he ever had in his life, but he’d be lying if he didn’t keep picturing doing it the other way round.

Still, there was no hurry. It wasn’t like either of them were going anywhere.

Breakfast was as nice and normal as it always was with Draco opting for toast dutifully spreading marmite on Harry’s but Draco hated the stuff so he had his with peanut butter. They went over their plan for the day again and put aside the evening for Draco to read the next chapters of the book so that Harry could send those off to Luna too who had pretty much finished editing what Harry had given her so far.

Except as soon as Draco left, Harry’s plan for the day drastically changed when he had a floo call from Ron asking him to come into the Ministry for an emergency auror briefing. He ran up the stairs to put some practical field clothing on underneath his auror robes and even remembered to grab his badge. He scribbled a quick note to Draco to let him know and asked Kreacher to send it off with Gandalf as soon as he could. He also left Kreacher in charge of Dean and the other contractors that were arriving to do the work today but Dean had been here before so would be able to let the others in.

The briefing was quick, clear and concise with Ron quickly getting Harry up to speed on the case and dividing the big group into smaller groups with everyone having the same goal. It turned out that this was a big case that had suddenly been dropped into their lap this week by the Irish Ministry who had been working the case over there but now the criminal activity had spread to the UK.

Ron was planning on bringing Harry in next week but they’d suddenly received some intel that they needed to act on now before it was too late. They were working to apprehend a group of illegal potion makers who were brewing highly addictive potions and making a fortune by selling them to vulnerable people and getting them addicted. 

They’d had a breakthrough in the case yesterday and had a number of possible locations that could be the criminals headquarters but they wanted to hit them all at once in the hope that one of the groups would be successful and could call in the others. Ron was worried if they hit them one by one then the gang might become aware of the fact that the aurors were onto them and they would flee all the locations before the aurors could get to them.

Ron and Harry were leading the most inexperienced group of new recruits who had trained together to be the third response team but hadn’t actually been in the field yet. Ron was convinced that the location they were going to would be one of the empty ones and thought they’d just give the guys a bit of experience without being in danger and then they would get called to the main location by one of the other teams.

It turned out he was very wrong. It became apparent very quickly that the warehouse was not empty at all and that the new recruits had no idea what they were doing. Harry jumped straight in with both feet (and hands) wandlessly casting shield charms on each one of the recruits whilst fighting off three criminals at once with his wand hand. It was a lot, even for him and they needed backup ASAP. He paused to press his band having just distracted the three dark wizards he’d been fighting with a flock of birds. 

He could just see them all coming back at him with their wands and was about to cast a shield charm on himself when he could see one of the recruits was about to hit in the back with a jinx and cast a shield charm on her instead. 

That was the last thing he remembered as he felt something hit him in his own back and another two forces of magic on his front.

*~*

The first thing he became aware of was how dizzy he was when he opened his eyes. He closed them, counted to ten and opened them again much slower. That was better. 

His whole body was aching and he felt like he’d been run over by a herd of centaurs but there didn’t seem to be anything else immediately wrong. He tuned into his surroundings and realised he was definitely in St. Mungos before he became aware of raised voices outside the room.

“I swear to Merlin if you don’t let me see him right now I will blast through the door and let myself in.” Came a very familiar but very angry voice.

“You need to lower your tone and your wand Mr. Black. The healer in charge is speaking to Mr. Weasley who is Mr. Potter’s emergency contact. We cannot tell you anything and we cannot let anyone in who is not family.” Came another much more professional voice.

“I… I am f- well not _family_ exactly I know but… he’d want me to know and he’d want to see me. I _need_ to see him.” Draco’s voice was softer this time, pleading and frantic.

Harry sighed and gave his body a quick self-examination. He could move everything, yes he was a bit stiff but there was no alarming pain anywhere in particular and no obvious wounds. He detached himself from the monitoring machine and got out of bed. He could walk at least so that was a good sign.

He strolled over to the door and opened it, interrupting the argument that was still happening.

“Harry.” Draco cried out in relief and ran towards him, nearly knocking the poor healer over but she quickly scrambled out the way.

“Hey, I’m fine, I'm absolutely fine Draco.” He said quickly into Draco’s ear as the man was clinging onto him for dear life.

“With all due respect Mr. Potter, we don’t know that. Now that you’re awake we really need to do a proper examination on you.” The healer spoke up behind Draco, eyeing the two men curiously. 

Both men ignored her and as Draco withdrew from the hug he suddenly punched Harry in the arm. 

“You still have Fred as your emergency contact you absolute git. You couldn’t have taken two minutes to change that when you signed your new contract with the Ministry? I wouldn’t have known anything had happened if Fred didn’t come and find me at the shop. Then when I got here no one would tell me anything, I had to confound a healer to even know what room you were in and then this one wouldn’t let me in anyway. I’m not family, I’m _nothing_ to you in their eyes. I- I- You could have been _dead_ and I-”

“Shh, baby it’s OK, I’m OK. I’m sorry, you're right I’m an idiot. I’ll get the forms changed, I’ll tell the whole world that you’re _everything_ to me if that’s what it takes. It’s all OK.” He said pulling Draco back into a hug and rubbing his hand in a soothing motion down his back.

To her credit the healer just looked away and had given them their private moment without trying to interrupt them again. Harry didn’t really care in this moment who saw them and she’d obviously seen enough to guess anyway so he pulled back enough from Draco just so he could capture his mouth in a soft sweet reassuring kiss. 

“I was so scared, Harry.” Draco whispered as the kiss ended. “But you _do_ seem OK so that’s good… what happened?”

“Not really sure.” Harry said with a shrug. “Feel like I just got knocked out by something pretty strong but all this is probably just precaution.” He said gesturing around to the private wing he got given every time he’d visited St. Mungos in the past, which had been often. 

Just then two more figures arrived in the corridor and one loud voice called out amongst them. “Harry, some of us actually have shops to run you know? It can’t all be about you.”

“Sorry Fred.” He chuckled over Draco’s shoulder. 

Draco didn’t seem quite ready to let him go yet and even though he was taller than Harry, he seemed to have made himself smaller curled into the side of Harry’s neck with his arms wrapped tightly around his waist.

“It’s OK.” Fred said with a smile. “Pleased that you’re up and about already but I wasn’t worried. You’ve survived a lot worse. To be honest I was more just surprised that I was the one they called first.” He said with a slightly accusing look.

Draco grumbled something inaudible into Harry’s neck but he seemed to be in agreement.

“Yes, I've already been told off for that.” Harry laughed slightly. “I’m sorry you’re still my emergency contact Fred, it didn’t even cross my mind but I’ll get it changed.” 

He turned to the healer who had been in the corridor with them the whole time. “In fact, if you could possibly get the relevant forms for me I’ll change it now please. Mr. Black is my partner and my emergency contact. In the future you will treat him like my family and he has sole responsibility for my care if I am unable to make decisions for myself.”

“Of course Mr. Potter, my apologies I didn’t know.” She said quickly and practically ran out of the corridor in the direction of the healers office.

“Not that you’re _ever_ going to come back here again you complete and utter reckless moron.” Draco said a bit louder detaching himself slightly from Harry’s neck but still holding him around the waist.

“Would you believe me if I said I really was trying not to be reckless this time?” Harry asked him quietly. “Ron and I weren’t supposed to be going into any danger at all. We all agreed that our location was the most unlikely to be the headquarters. We were supposed to just be eliminating it and using it as a training exercise for the new recruits but yeah… turns out we were wrong I guess and the new recruits were really not handling themselves well. I couldn’t have their blood on our hands, Draco. They weren’t ready for a fight of that scale and that isn’t their fault, I had to protect them.”

“Of course you did.” Draco said as if he was in equal parts annoyed with Harry and amazed by him.

The other healer that had come in with Fred had been silent until now but he coughed slightly and gestured back into the room Harry had woken up in.

“Mr. Potter, although it would seem like you are in fact OK, you know we can’t let you go without a quick diagnostic check so if you would please return to your bed I can perform it for you. Once I am satisfied then you will be free to go.” He said in a professional but stern way and Harry knew the quicker he could get the healer to sign off on his health check the quicker he could go home. He didn’t even know exactly what happened.

He turned round to walk back to the bed with Draco refusing to let go of his hand. The healer didn’t ask him to though and performed all the checks he needed to quickly and efficiently with Draco standing next to the bed still holding Harry’s hand and Fred sitting happily in the chair.

“You got hit by three stunners at once Mr. Potter, one in the back and two in the chest. Fortunately you are young and fit enough for it to not have any lasting damage at all but we decided it would be best to let you come back round on your own to allow your body time to recover rather than revive you.” She explained looking at the notes on her clipboard. “I would advise staying and resting for another couple of hours at least but I suspect you’re not going to.”

“Not a chance.” He said happily, making him smile slightly.

Just then the other healer came back with the relevant emergency contact forms and passed them to Harry. He filled them out quickly and signed them before passing them to Draco so that he could add his signature. After Draco had signed them he passed them back to the main healer in charge who had examined Harry and when he spoke again he spoke directly to Draco.

“Mr. Black, I would advise that you stay with Mr. Potter over the next twenty four hours and monitor him just in case. He will still need to take it easy and his sugar levels are a bit low so I would recommend lots of chocolate this afternoon.” He said with an ever growing smile. He at least did not seem to judge their obvious relationship in the slightest which was a good sign.

“I'm sure we can manage that.” Draco replied, now visibly a lot more relaxed.

Despite Harry’s protests that he really should go to the ministry to find out what happened after he was stunned and to attend the debriefing, Draco took him straight home. The healer had given Harry’s wand to Draco in an attempt to keep him under Draco’s care and he was refusing to give it back yet. 

Unlike the healer, they both knew of course that Harry didn’t really need it and if he wanted to leave the house then he easily could but Harry wasn’t going to upset Draco any further and he knew his boyfriend was just eager to look after him and keep him safe. 

Draco tucked Harry up on the sofa with a blanket and he even made him a hazelnut latte the muggle way exactly how Harry liked it for the first time. He seemed pretty pleased with his attempt and when Harry told him it was just as good as the ones he makes for himself, he wasn’t even exaggerating. Although when he joked that now Draco knew how to make them, he could make his one in the future, he got a rather sulky scowl in response.

“Aww, don’t worry my little Prince.” He said leaning over and kissing Draco’s forehead. “I’ll always spoil you and make you nice lattes.”

Draco smiled back at him then and settled into the sofa properly beside him. “Good, but just for the next twenty four hours it’s going to be me spoiling you. I’ve got to get you back up to a hundred percent so you can return to spoiling me.”

*~*

Draco was true to his word and spoiled Harry not letting him do anything but rest. Harry had never been good at resting and if it had been anyone else he would have no doubt got annoyed with their institant pampering and mollycoddling. However, because he was in love with Draco and because it was so rare for him to put his feet up and be fussed over, he not only allowed it but enjoyed it. Even though there was really nothing wrong with him to be honest.

Dean and the other contractors were still around when they got home mid afternoon. Dean had finished Teddy’s room as it wasn;t a big job but he’d stuck around as he wasn’t sure if Harry wanted the others to be in his home without him there. Harry, on Draco’s insistence, didn;t even get up off the sofa to speak to him or check on the progress of the garden. Draco handled it all simply asking the garden team if they could come back and finish the rest of the work tomorrow. Apparently he’d thanked Dean for the bedroom without even seeing it saying that they would look at it later and be in touch if they needed anything else.

Draco told Harry that Dean had been surprised to say the least to see him there but Draco told him about his relationship with Harry and even came clean about becoming Pierre. Apparently Dean had taken it well and Harry vowed to himself that he would take him to the pub one night soon and talk to him properly but was pleased with the outcome so far.

Curling up on the sofa together late Thursday afternoon with blankets, coffee and lots of chocolate was really nice. Especially with the rain now pounding heavily on the windows outside, it made it seem all the more cosy on the inside. They spent hours just doing nothing but relaxing in front of Friends on the TV, something which their busy lives hadn’t allowed for recently.

Harry was worried about Draco’s business because he knew he was already getting some Christmas orders in and had already said he wanted to work a lot this week but Draco kept pushing it aside and saying Harry was more important. 

Draco had just been finishing off his lunch with Narcissa and Andromeda when Fred had come to find him to give him the news about Harry and apparently his Mother and Aunt had both stepped up to tell Draco they would help Daphne run the shop and together they would keep his afternoon appointments. Graham was still working at the Weasley’s shop on Thursdays and they were already getting busy redecorating both their shops for Christmas and putting all their festive stock out.

It was nice that Narcissa and Andromeda had stepped up for both of them and they cared about Draco’s business too. Harry also told Draco that Fleur was going a bit stir crazy at home and he wondered if giving her a part time job at the shop would enable Draco to open the shop on Wednesdays now without asking Daphne to work extra hours. He was really happy with that idea and said he would talk to Fleur about it. 

Both of them were just so grateful to have a wide support network of family and friends that they could rely on. It was a big deal, especially to Draco who two months ago had been determined to struggle alone and found it very difficult to ask for help or rely on anyone else. Harry could see him getting slightly emotional at the thought and they cuddled even closer together knowing how lucky and happy they both were.

Ron stopped by after work. He’d been kept up to date with Harry’s discharge but he had to make the aurors and the case a priority. Apparently he had been by Harry’s bedside initially while he was out but he’d returned to work once the healers had assured him that Harry was in no real danger and that they would contact his emergency contact to be with him.

The good news is that Harry’s call for backup had worked and Ron was very grateful for it as he just hadn’t had a chance to do that yet. The other auror teams had arrived a split second after Harry had lost consciousness and together they had successfully apprehended the criminal underground potions gang. They were now all in Ministry holding cells awaiting their trials and evidence was being gathered ready for those with the British auror force working alongside the Irish one.

Ron seemed a bit embarrassed by the fact that he’d made the wrong call sending the recruits to that location but Harry had truthfully told him it wasn't all him, he had agreed with the plan after all. Still, Ron said that it would be under investigation with the Head of the DMLE. He seemed pretty worried about it but Harry told him that everyone makes mistakes and they wouldn’t fire him for one bad call that the rest of the team had supported at the time.

Draco was there throughout this discussion and agreed with Harry and it was nice to see Draco try and make Ron feel better. Ron actually seemed to be listening to Draco too and taking his opinion on board. Quite honestly Harry felt like one of the biggest problems about this morning was that the recruits were just not very well trained at all and definitely not prepared for proper field work. Especially when he found out from Ron that the stunning spell he’d received in the back was actually a misaimed spell from one of the recruits. Apparently Ron had to talk him out of handing his notice in because he was so paranoid about the fact he’d ‘killed’ Harry Potter. 

There was something stewing in the back of his mind during this discussion and one look at Draco told him that he was thinking the same thing. It was strange how in sync they were. He put the thought aside for now though, one thing at a time.

They asked Ron if he wanted to stay for dinner but she said he’d rather get back to his wife and baby. He invited Harry over for their usual Friday night dinner together as the ‘Golden trio’ that they hadn’t done in a couple of weeks and Harry happily accepted. Draco had already said he was hoping to go with Blaise anyway, he was just waiting to see if the other man was free.

Kreacher was fussing over Harry almost as much as Draco was and insisting on serving dinner to them both on trays in the lounge so that Harry didn’t have to move at all. The house elf wouldn’t even let Harry help clear up. He had to admit it was quite nice though to have more time to spend with Draco. After dinner, now Draco was convinced that Harry was OK, he agreed they may as well use the extra time they’d been given to work on the book.

*~*

“So, are you going to tell me what Hallows are now and what they have to do with anything?” Draco asked as he traced the line of Harry’s lightning bolt scar on his forehead and then ran his fingers through his hair.

He’d written this part but he couldn’t be bothered to go and get his notes upstairs. Draco could read them later properly but for now he was more in the mood to actually talk to Draco and tell him about this for them, not just for the sake of writing the book. 

“Do you know the story of the three brothers?” Harry looked up at him. He was lying with his head on Draco’s lap and his body sprawled across the sofa comfortably. Draco was sitting up but had his feet resting on the coffee table in front of him.

“The children’s fable? Everyone knows that one.” Draco said in an obvious way with a slight confused frown.

“Everyone that was brought up in the magical world.” Harry countered. “Muggles have different fairy tales. Ron had heard it obviously but Hermione and I hadn’t. It was in the book that Dumbledore left Hermione though.”

“Oh right, of course.” Draco said nodding along but clearly didn’t understand why this was relevant yet. “So the deluminator helped Ron and you guys in the end. Did Dumbledore help you in another way by leaving Hermione that book?”

“Yeah I guess so.” Harry said in a slightly exasperated way. “I still don’t really understand why he had to make things so difficult and didn’t tell me more while he was alive but in his own way I suppose he did know what he was doing. There was this symbol that kept coming up on our adventures, it was in the book, it was on a grave in Godric’s Hollow and we’d also seen it around Xenophilius Lovegood’s neck at Bill and Fleur’s wedding.”

“OK.” Draco said slowly, not wanting to interrupt Harry too much, just gently encouraging him to continue his story. He was just carrying on carding his fingers through his hair. “What was the symbol?”

Harry took Draco’s left hand that was gently resting on Harry’s chest and brought it palm side up towards his face so that Draco could see it too. He traced the symbol out on Draco’s palm as he spoke the words. “The wand... the stone... and the cloak.”

“Right, the items in the story that Death made for each of the three brothers.” Draco said out loud, still obviously not sure why it was relevant.

“Yeah… they’re real.” Harry said placing Draco’s hand back on top of his chest and resting his own over the top of it.

“What?” Draco said, confused. “Harry, they're not real, it's just a story. I mean yeah I’ve heard of an unbeatable wand but it’s still probably just rumours. There is certainly no stone that can bring back the dead and the cloak… well obviously invisibility cloaks exist but…”

There was a long pause and Harry felt Draco’s breath hitch as he tensed up and then he slowly let it back out again. “Salazar…” He said slowly in realisation.

Suddenly he sat bolt up right bringing his feet off the coffee table and to the floor. The movement jolted Harry and he sat up now as well.

“Harry… your cloak… it’s unlike any other invisibility cloak out there… you can’t possibly be telling me…” Draco trailed off eyes wide in surprise, confusion, awe… there were lots of emotions there.

“That my cloak was Death’s own cloak of invisibility that he gave to the youngest brother and has been passed down the generations to me?” He laughed nervously. 

“Yeah I know it sounds mental.” He carried on. “I don’t really know what to believe to be honest. The story is probably exaggerated, a tale made up around the objects that were created somehow by the brothers… I guess no one really knows but the objects are real and if you have all three you can be the Master of Death.”

“The Master of Death?” Draco whispered as if the concept both fascinated and terrified him. “No it can’t be real.”

“Think about all the other crazy shit we have in our world. I mean the whole concept of magic is kind of unbelievable. For you it’s all you’ve ever known but for me it was mind blowing when I found out. Since then I’ve found out a lot more crazy shit and I just have to take it all my stride and accept it without thinking about it too much, otherwise I’d go crazy… Or crazier.”

When Harry had finished talking he studied Draco’s face carefully and at first he’d been frozen in surprise but Harry’s words seemed to have rung true for him and he was nodding slowly in acceptance.

“OK.” Draco said quietly again. He seemed to be deep in thought and Harry watched his face as he seemed to be searching his knowledge and piecing it all together. He was quick thinking and very clever, he’d get there.

“What are you thinking about it?” Harry asked him eventually.

“I’m trying to remember all the old family trees I was taught. I didn’t always listen to my tutors when I was young but I can picture the family trees if I really think about it.” Draco said screwing his eyes up tight slightly and then when he opened them again Harry could see he’d worked it out all.

“The Potters are descended from the Peverells.” He said simply.

“Yes.” Harry confirmed. “The grave we saw the symbol of the Deathly Hallows on in Godric’s Hollow was Ignotus Peverell-”

“-the youngest brother.” Draco finished for him and Harry nodded. “And you said the Riddle’s mother was a Gaunt and they were once a grand wizarding family of note as they were descended from the Peverell’s too.”

Harry nodded again. “The middle brother Cadmus.”

“So then the ring that was passed down from the Peverells through the Gaunt family that Riddle stole from the hut and made into a horcrux…”

“Had the resurrection stone in it.” Harry finished for Draco once again as he had trailed off.

“Merlin.” Draco swore under his breath. “But Dumbledore destroyed the ring right? What happened to the stone?”

“It was left to me inside the snitch.” Harry filled in for him.

“ _I open at the close._ ” Draco quoted from memory as they had already been over the content’s of Dumbledore’s will in the book.

“Yeah, we’ll get there I promise.” Harry said tentatively. “I- I can’t… I can’t do that bit tonight but I had the stone all along.”

“So you had the stone and the cloak.” Draco summarised. “That just leaves… Oh… _holy shit Harry!”_ He exclaimed with his eyes suddenly going wide. “Riddle was looking for a wand. I was there in a meeting when he was furious about his wand and your wand and then he took my father’s but that didn’t work either… he was looking for another one, he kept going on about it and that’s why we had Olivander in- in the basement, he was looking… for an unbeatable wand.”

“Yeah he was. I was getting visions of him for months and I was just as obsessed as he was about our wands and the twin cores and everything. It was driving me crazy to try and solve it all and I saw how cross he was when your father’s wand didn’t work. I saw him torture Olivander for information.” Harry said as Draco winced uncomfortably.

“Sorry, I know that happened in your home. I know this is hard.” He said reaching over for Draco’s hand and squeezing it slightly.

Draco had his eyes shut again and he took a couple of deep breaches before opening them. “It’s OK. That place hasn’t been my home in a long time and this time next week it won’t even exist. This is my home now.”

“Is it stupid that I’m scared you’re going to tell me that Riddle found the unbeatable wand even though I know you still defeated him?” Draco laughed nervously.

“No, it’s not stupid. He _did_ find it and I knew the moment he did.” Harry confessed. “For months I’d been trying to think how I could stop him from getting it as how the _hell_ could I hope to defeat him if he had an unbeatable wand... it terrified me. But I was weirdly calm about it when I knew it was too late to stop him. Hermione had been telling me for ages to stop obsessing over it. It was hallows or horcruxes and Dumbledore had told us our mission was horcruxes. That’s what we had to focus on so we did but it doesn’t make the hallows any less important.”

Harry pauses to let Draco process this so far but Draco was hanging on his every word and wasn’t going to interrupt him anytime soon so he carried on.

“The Elder Wand was the most important one of all and crucial to defeating him which makes _you_ crucial in defeating him. You helped me with that in a way you don’t even know.” Harry said cautiously. 

As he’d said it Draco closed his eyes and then gasped suddenly. Then his whole body started shaking visibly. Harry leant forward immediately pressing his forehead onto Draco’s and placed one hand on the side of his face cupping his cheek whilst the other rubbed small circles on the back on Draco’s neck in a way which Harry knew always calmed his boyfriend down.

Draco’s breath was still ragged as if he’d remembered something painful for the first time but as they sat there and Harry calmed him down he felt Draco’s breath very slowly return to normal. When Harry eventually drew back he could see Draco’s pale face was deathly white and even though his breathing was under control he was still shaking slightly and looked like he might be sick.

Harry reached over to the box on the coffee table. Most of the chocolate he’d got from Honeydukes yesterday had been eaten by now but there was a tiny bit left which he now gave to Draco. Draco accepted it and then he turned away from Harry with his head in his hands, eyes closed again as if focusing on something in his head.

After what seemed like an eternity he sat up again and did look physically better even though there was some obvious pain and confusion in his eyes.

“Are you OK?” Harry asked.

Draco nodded slowly but he didn’t look convinced. “I’ve heard about it you know… repressed memories. I figured I had some because of all the past trauma and I knew there were things about... _that night_ which were fuzzy in my head and I couldn’t picture it all clearly but I just thought that was normal and didn’t want to dwell on it too much. To be honest I never really tried to remember it. I wanted to block it out.”

He took a sip of water from the glass on the coffee table that was left from earlier and then spoke again in a flat even voice. 

“For years I told myself that I didn’t want to know so it didn’t matter and then when I met you again and we talked about doing the book I thought it would be healthy to slowly unravel everything again and make sense of it all piece by piece. I had imagined there would be memories that I had repressed but I never knew I had the answers in my head all along. I never realised how much I’d witnessed but shoved aside in a mental box somewhere to be forgotten. How could I not remember a massive whole interaction like that?” He questioned as if it scared him.

“Have you just remembered something then? Just had a flashback or something?” Harry asked cautiously.

Draco just nodded slowly.

“OK.” Harry replied feeling a little out of his depth but determined to be there for Draco. “Well like you said, repressed memories are normal with trauma.”

“I’ve had it all along when you’ve said things but nothing as big as this.” Draco replied. “It happened in this room the first time I came here. When I saw that picture of Teddy-”

He gestured towards the framed photo Harry had in the lounge and Harry was remembering that day too.

“I had a flashback of Riddle saying something in a meeting about the wedding of my cousin and Lupin. Then you said to call him Tom Riddle and I had this vision of you taunting him with that name during the final battle. I was there hiding in the corner with my hood pulled up trying to be inconspicuous. I must have witnessed the whole thing… I must have… yet all I could actively remember was the moment where you actually killed him. The only thing that I had in my head was the sun suddenly appearing through the broken windows of the great hall and the look on both your faces as he yelled ‘Avada Kedavra’ and you shouted ‘Expelliarmus’. I can picture it now clear as anything.” He said and at that moment as the two lovers held onto each other, Harry could picture it too.

“I seem to have repressed and forgotten about the entire conversation you had with him beforehand though… I was in that room yet I didn’t remember until just now. How is that even possible…? I feel like a part of my brain has just been unlocked.” He said with a shaky voice.

“It’s like you said, you didn’t want to remember so you didn't. It was your mind’s way of processing something which you didn’t understand and couldn’t deal with at the time. It’s perfectly understandable Draco.” Harry tried to reassure him but he hesitated before saying the next part. “I’m sorry if I made you remember-”

“No.” Draco interrupted fiercely. “I’m glad you did. It’s been slowly making sense in my head for a while but there was still a lot I didn’t understand and now suddenly I do. I have all the answers and I’ve finally put the puzzle together. It's… it’s disturbing but also kind of liberating. It’s _healing_ … I don’t think I was ready before but you’ve helped me see Harry. What I witnessed on its own didn't make sense to me but after all these weeks with you, all these conversations… I get it now and I think this was the best way for me to understand. You started from the beginning, we both did, telling each other things from our childhood and it was all leading up to this. Our separate paths were intertwined in some ways our whole lives and you’re right, in some weird twisted way of fate I was important. What I did was important… and- and for the right side too.”

Harry was looking at Draco’s face in which the colour had returned now and it even seemed to have a glow about it. It really was like he was seeing everything for the first time and Harry knew that he knew now. They could have further conversations about it if they wanted to but they didn’t need to… Draco knew everything, he could tell and it did seem to have healed him. 

Well maybe not quite everything… there was still what happened in the forest. He’d only ever told Ron and Hermione and even then he’d only given them the facts they needed. There was only one person who actually witnessed it who was still alive and free from Azkaban and that was Draco’s mother.

“So you know then?” He turned to Draco after a few minutes. “About the Elder Wand… what I was trying to tell you.

Draco nodded slowly. “The vision I just had was of you telling Riddle at the end. You talked about the Elder Wand, you talked about _me_ … how could I never have realised that? When it played inside my head it was like I was seeing it for the first time yet I know I must have seen it before to be able to remember it and picture it so clearly now… if that makes sense.”

“It does.” Harry said honestly.

“It was the flaw in the plan.” Draco said with his voice filled with wonder. “In Riddle’s plan and in Dumbledore’s plan. Dumbledore intended Severus to end up with the Elder Wand and Riddle killed him before facing you as he thought that made him the true master of it but it didn’t… because I disarmed Dumbledore that night. _I_ was the true master of the Elder Wand until you disarmed me at the Manor and then you used my want to disarm Riddle making his own killing spell backfire and claiming the Elder Wand back. It would have never gone against its master, which was you. You had all the Deathly Hallows. You mastered death.”

Harry felt that panic and discomfort at those words in the same way he did whenever he thought about the forest. “Kind of.” He said in a slightly shaky voice.

“Wow.” Draco said, sounding slightly breathless again but also a bit tired.

“Yeah.” Harry agreed. “I told you it had all worked out. I told you that you did more than you knew.”

“Yeah... I guess so.” Draco said, sounding completely exhausted this time.

In truth Harry was exhausted too. It had been a long day and he hadn’t quite expected their conversation tonight to take that dramatic turn. At least now they were so much closer than they had been this morning though, even though neither of them was sure if that was even possible. They were closer together as a couple in their understanding of what they’d been through and they were also a lot closer to the end of the book, or talking about it at least.

“Deciding to do this book was the best decision I have ever made.” Harry said clearly as he settled back into the sofa after a long but comfortable silence. “It’s brought us both some peace and some clarity but more importantly it’s brought us each other in a way that I could have only dreamed of.”

“Yes, I couldn’t agree more.” Draco said, still sounding tired but now he actually _did_ sound at peace. “Merlin Harry. Everything we’ve done, everything we’ve been through both separately and together, our journey… it makes for one hell of a story.”

“It does.” Harry chuckled slightly in agreement. “Our story. The story which we’re owning because it brought us here and the story that we’re going to share with the world because we’re proud of it.” 

“I’m proud of you Harry and everything you’ve done.” Draco said, staring into his eyes.

“And I’m proud of you too. “ Harry replied back with just as much sincerity and looking deeply back into Draco’s eyes.

Draco seemed to finally relax then and Harry could see in his whole body language the moment his mind accepted that he had done something to be proud of, that he could be proud of himself too. His body sunk happily into Harry’s as Harry wrapped his arms around him and pulled him close.

“Our story is going to be all that people can talk about this Christmas you know.” Draco said into Harry’s ear after a while, sounding much more like himself.

“Yes and we can enjoy our first Christmas together a hundred percent relaxed knowing that we've finally dealt with everything in our shitty past, owned our actions and taken all the weight, all the guilt and all the blame off our shoulders.” Harry said back feeling more content than he had in a long time.

“That sounds nice.” Draco hummed happily into Harry’s ear. “Better still be a mountain of presents though.” He mumbled as his head lolled onto Harry’s shoulder and his eyes closed.

“Of course my Prince.” Harry said just before he felt Draco drift happily into sleep on his shoulder. 

“I’d give you the whole world if I could.” He whispered, kissing Draco on the head and then scoping him into his arms ready to carry him to bed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So.... does it make sense?
> 
> *bangs head on the desk*


	40. Draco: Friday 4th -Saturday 5th November

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey my lovely readers!  
> Sorry again that it's been a while since my last update, real life has just got in the way this week :(
> 
> But I did post a short story in this series about George and Daphne's first date so if you haven't seen that then please go check it out!   
> It's part 2 of this series and it's called A Few Firsts.  
> You don't need to read it for this chapter or story to make sense but it does provide lots more little details that I think adds to their relationship. Also, so many people have said that they love my version of Daphne (thank-you!) that I thought it might be fun to see things from her perspective and hopefully you can understand her character more.  
> (Plus I just think their first date is really fun, sweet and kind of hot and I hope you do too! Am I allowed to say that about my own writing?! Ohwell!)
> 
> Anyway, back to this chapter you can expect to see a little more about George and Daphne's relationship but mostly we are addressing the Blaise/Fred thing as I know lots of you have been waiting for that! ;)  
> One thing I really did want to do with this fic is just be accepting of all different types of relationships and explore a few of them so hopefully I've done that.  
> Enjoy <3
> 
> *Warning for a grumpy Draco (I kind of love grumpy Draco!)  
> Not all relationships are perfect all the time!

Draco woke up in a bad mood on Friday, a very bad mood. He was grumpy and he had a splitting headache.

He _ should _ have woken up feeling incredibly peaceful and well rested with a free mind and a load off his shoulders. Like the time he woke up after Lucius had been committed and he’d suddenly been without the weight he hadn’t even realised he’d been carrying around the whole time.

Except that wasn’t how he felt.

He  _ should _ feel like he had a sudden clarity, like everything made so much sense now. It should be liberating and cathartic. He _ kind of  _ felt like that but the intensity of his flashback had taken a lot out of him and honesty, he was scared by how much he’d repressed and how much he’d known but not known he’d known. If that makes sense? See... no wonder his head was fucked up.

So instead of feeling the way he should, he just felt confused, stressed and a little scared.

It was still early but he knew he wouldn’t get back to sleep so he may as well just get up. He had a lot to do anyway today. Brewing always cleared his mind and helped his de-stress. Maybe he could get a head start on his orders that had come in yesterday whilst simultaneously finishing off the ones that had come in Tuesday and wrapping up the ones that were done but needed to be sent off today. 

Yeah… he had a lot to do.

He reluctantly dragged himself out of bed trying to sneak around the bedroom and not wake Harry except he’d ended up tripping over Harry’s discarded jeans from yesterday and swearing loudly. For fucks sake, why were they on the fucking floor anyway? Was it too much to ask that Harry put his clothes back in the closet like a normal person? It was bloody big enough for crying out loud. Or least fold the jeans up neatly and put them on the chair if he was going to wear them again the next day.

Draco kicked them aside. Harry hadn’t even stirred when he’d stumbled and sworn loudly anyway. Stupid fucking Harry, sleeping so peacefully. 

He went to the walk-in wardrobe and pulled out one of his brewing overalls that Kreacher had kindly cleaned for him after the last minor cauldron explosion and put away. How is it that Draco was the one who had a functional relationship with the house elf, where Kreacher would help him out without being ordered to and Draco would show him the gratitude he deserved, when Draco was naturally the neatest member of this household and probably didn’t even need the house elf’s help? It made no sense.

Harry had asked Kreacher not to touch his clothes and insisted that tidying up in the bedroom after him was not the house elves job, but then Harry didn’t do it himself either. He couldn’t have it both ways. 

Sighing to himself Draco made his way down into the basement. It was going to be a bad day today, he just knew it and had already resigned himself to it. That was fine as long as he didn’t have to deal with anything or anyone. He would just shut himself away in his potions lab and focus on his work.

Which is exactly what he did.

To be fair he was genuinely making progress. He wasn’t sure how long he’d been down here having shut himself away in his head for a bit but he’d been multitasking effectively and ticked a few things off his list.

“Draco?” Came Harry’s voice down the stairs after about an hour or so.

“What?” Draco snapped back not looking up from his workbench.

“Are you OK?” Harry called out, his voice sounding closer.

“Yes.” Draco said simply, focusing on how much jasmine he needed for this perfume and wondering whether he should add a dash of patchouli too.

“Erm, what are you doing?” Harry asked tentatively, he seemed very close now, probably just behind Draco if he were to turn around.

Well that was a stupid question, thought Draco to himself. “I’m working. Obviously.”

“Right, yeah, I can see that but it’s just, well it’s early.” Harry fumbled, simply stating the obvious again. That was a very annoying habit of his, Draco reflected. “How long have you been down here? Did you not sleep well?” Harry added.

Draco felt Harry’s hand touch his shoulder lightly but he shrugged it off. “I’m fine I just have a lot to do today so thought I’d get started.”

“OK.” Harry said with a touch of hesitancy that was pissing Draco off for some reason. “Well, are you going to come up for breakfast?”

“I’m not hungry but you go ahead.” Draco said with a dismissive wave of his hand as he decided that two drops of patchouli would go in this quite well. 

“But- you should eat my love.” Harry said with an irritating amount of worry in his voice.

“I’m not hungry.” Draco repeated, _ trying _ not to be annoyed by Harry, he hadn’t done anything wrong after all. “I’ll eat later.”

Harry wasn’t getting the hint though and Draco could feel him twitching with confusion and uncertainty behind him. “But- but we always eat together. Every morning we start the day like that where you make breakfast and I do the coffee… it’s nice.”

“Well it won’t kill us not to just this once. Merlin Harry, you’re a big boy I’m sure you can have breakfast by yourself.” Draco replied not bothering to hide his irritation that time.

Harry didn’t immediately reply to that but in Draco’s mind he could practically see the man opening and closing his mouth slightly in that stupidly gormless way he did where he didn’t have the right words to say.

“OK.” Harry said again, taking a deep breath. “That’s fine if you don’t want to and I know you’re busy but please look after yourself. I’ll ask Kreacher to bring you something in a bit.”

That got Draco’s attention as he finally turned round to look at Harry. “Why, where are you go-” Then he saw Harry dressed in his Auror robes again. “Oh.”

“The healer said you needed to rest for  _ at least  _ twenty-four hours. Has it been twenty-four hours?” He questioned sternly, crossing his arms over his chest.

Harry rolled his eyes, he actually  _ rolled his eyes _ . Argh. “Draco, come of it, we both know I’m fine. I have to go and make a statement, they can’t proceed with the trials if they don’t have all the paperwork in place.”

“It has  _ not _ been twenty-four hours so you are  _ not _ going. You can go on Monday.” Draco said stubbornly, pronouncing every word carefully. Then he simply turned back to his workbench as if that was the end of that conversation.

He heard Harry sigh behind him. “Draco, I know you’re just worried about me and that is really sweet but you know that there’s nothing wrong with me and the healers are being over cautious. If I don’t do this today then it puts the whole case behind. These bastards need to get out of the Ministry holding cells and into Azkaban as soon as possible.”

“Well you’re obviously going to go anyway no matter what I say, so just go.” Draco said flatly. “But if you  _ do _ collapse or something then don’t expect me to come to St. Mungos and get you, I need to work.”

“Sure, yeah I’ll try not to ‘collapse’ then. Cheers.” Harry said in a bit of a bitter sarcastic tone. Then he cleared his throat a bit. “Well anyway, guess I’ll just get out of your hair now. I’ll probably just grab something at the café near the Ministry for breakfast like the good old days. I’ll be back for lunch.”

“The ‘good old days’ before me you mean?” Draco said bitterly as he poured far too much distilled water in. 

“No, Draco, it was a joke. You know, sarcasm?” Harry said quickly but Draco was too busy trying to think how he could salvage this perfume, could he just add more of the other ingredients and make two bottles? Or would the ratios still be out? 

“-so you OK to deal with them?” Oh, apparently Harry was still talking. 

“Deal with who?” He called over his shoulder. Maybe a bit more sweet almond oil...

“Erm, the garden team? I just said. Remember they’re coming back today?” Harry said as if it was obvious.

Ah, fuck. Too much oil now. Well that was just great.

“What part of  _ ‘I have a lot of work to do’ _ do you not understand Potter? Ask Kreacher to deal with them and while you’re at it speak to him about putting your bloody clothes away too seeing as you clearly never do it.” Draco said through gritted teeth staring at the now definitely ruined perfume blend. “If I have to trip over your fucking jeans one more time you’ll be moving back to your old room.”

“Oookay.” Harry said slowly again in an even more irritating way than before. “I’m sorry. Clearly you’re in a bad mood so I’ll just apologise and promise to do better with my clothes in the bedroom. I didn’t realise that bothered you.”

Well  _ that _ was condescending. “Oh well done you. You’re being the  _ ‘bigger man’ _ and not  _ ‘stopping to my level’ _ well fucking done. You can’t even have an argument like a normal person.” Draco gumbled.

“Is  _ that  _ what this is? It doesn’t  _ seem _ like an argument. It seems like  _ I’m _ just trying to have a normal conversation but  _ you’re _ just being a bit grumpy this morning.” Harry said in an irritatingly calm manner. 

“Right yes of course,  _ I’m _ the problem here, that’s it. I’m grumpy and you’re perfectly reasonable.” Draco said dramatically. “Got I forgot how much of a righteous prick you could be Potter.” He mumbled, but obviously not quiet enough. 

“So it’s  _ Potter _ again now is it? Two months of relationship building and, oh I don’t know,  _ falling in love  _ gone just like that all because you woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning?” Harry snapped back, clearly irritated himself now and  _ finally _ showing some of that stupid Gryffindor spirit. 

“Don’t be dramatic, I still-” ... _ love _ you I just don’t always  _ like _ you, Draco finished the sentence in his head as Harry interrupted him. 

“Oh  _ I’m _ the dramatic one? That’s rich coming from you  _ Malfoy _ .” 

Draco whirled round and advanced on him, seething now. “DON’T call me that, you know what I’ve done to leave that name behind and now you throw it in my face just because you can’t cope with one tiny dispute?”

“Shit, no- sorry.  _ Draco _ I’m sorry.” 

To his credit Harry did look horrified with himself and deep down Draco knew he was being overly harsh on him and yes, probably too dramatic but he was in no place to admit that now. Sometimes it just felt good to be angry. 

“Just go Harry.” He said before he got too pissed off and said something else he would regret.

“Draco I-” 

“GO. Please. I’ve already ruined one perfume because you distracted me and I wasn’t exaggerating, I really do have a lot to do today.” Draco said slightly in a softer voice after raising his voice a bit at first but no less insistent as he turned back towards his workbench.

Harry didn’t say anything but Draco could tell he still hadn’t moved either.

“Look, don’t freak out or read too much into this.  _ We’re fine _ , or we will be as long as you pick up your damn clothes once in a while.” He muttered that last bit under his breath and then sighed. “I’m just… having a bad day. I need to work and I need to be alone.”

There was a long pause but then Draco did hear Harry leave. He started the perfume over again from scratch.

He assumed Harry had left. He assumed he’d gone to get his pathetic breakfast from the stupid café by the Ministry and then he’d be there most of the morning. A little while later though he heard footsteps come down the cellar stairs again and the door behind him open. 

The steps were too loud to be Kreachers and he usually just appeared in the room anyway. Merlin if Harry was going to ruin this perfume too then he really would be pissed off. 

Harry didn’t come into the room though or say anything. What did happen was a tray floated into view over Draco’s right shoulder and settled itself neatly on an empty section of his workbench. There was a mug full of steaming coffee, some cutlery and a delicious looking stack of homemade pancakes on a plate. The thick fluffy American style ones that were Draco’s favourite with a pile of crispy bacon on top and a cascade of maple syrup flowing all down the sides and pooling at the bottom. 

Before Draco even had time to turn around and confirm his suspicions that it was Harry and not Kreacher who had made this for him (although even if it had been Kreacher the chances are he would have only done it because Harry had asked him) the door had closed. 

*~*

The pancakes were delicious of course and it was almost impossible to stay grumpy after enjoying them, especially knowing that Harry had probably made himself late to the Ministry by cooking them just for Draco. The coffee did help perk him up a bit too.

Kreacher, who always seemed to know everything that went on in the house despite the fact that sometimes Draco could go a whole day without even seeing him, popped (literally) into the cellar about twenty minutes later.

“Master Draco, Kreacher just be coming to collect your plate and Master Harry also be telling Kreacher to look out for Master Draco this morning as he not be feeling himself.” He said picking up Draco’s plate and giving him a little bow. “What else does Master Draco be needing from Kreacher?”

“Cheers Kreacher. I don’t think you can do much else for me. Unless you can tell me what needs to be added to this soap to make it perfect whilst simultaneously mixing some bath salt blends for me?!” Draco joked.

Kreacher though simply peered into the soap mix and sniffed the rose scented mixture. “Well Master Draco may be interested in the fanged geranium they be pulling out of the garden. Kreacher used to be making geranium oil for Master Regulus’ potions and Kreacher can help with any mixing required.”

Draco’s ears suddenly pricked up. “Geranium oil would be perfect for this. I didn’t know we had any fanged geranium in the garden.”

“Kreacher be going to tell them not to remove it then Master Draco. Then Kreacher make the oil and help Master Draco in the potions laboratory all day sir.” Kreacher said, practically jumping up and down with glee.

Draco was about to tell him he didn’t need to do that. He knew that Harry worried about Kreacher being overworked and felt uncomfortable asking him to do too much since he refused payment but then Kreacher started getting emotional about how he used to help Master Regulus in this very lab and he would honoured to now help Master Draco of the noble house of Black. 

In the end, before anything could get done, Draco had to calm Kreacher down and summon a box of tissues for him to stop his blowing his nose on the rag that he still insisted on wearing. After that though, Kreacher did make geranium oil for him for the soap batch (much quicker than Draco would have managed it) and then proceeded to be an extremely helpful assistant to him for the rest of the morning.

As he worked, he started feeling pretty guilty about how much of a dick he’d been to Harry this morning. No matter how important his work was to him, his relationship with Harry was the most important thing in the world and he needed to do something to show Harry that. He looked at the time. It was around lunchtime and Harry would probably be home any minute. He left Kreacher with some instructions on what to do with the cauldrons that were still boiling and headed quickly into the garden.

After a quick chat with the garden team he picked a collection of wildflowers, all safe ones of course, and went into the kitchen to put them in a vase of water. He got a steak slice out that Harry had got from the bakery the other day and started heating it up. When it was done he set it on a plate alongside some salad and a glass of coke for Harry. He thought about what else he could add and then something came to mind so he summoned his sketchbook from upstairs. 

There were a few to choose from, well loads actually truth be told seeing as Harry was his favourite thing to draw. He hadn’t really had a lot of time to sketch recently but in the early days when he’d just moved in but would spend a lot of time in his room, sketching Harry. It had been his way of coping with the mountain of feelings he had. 

A few…  _ different _ feelings he remembered as he passed one of Harry wearing that white tank top that he used to run in stuck to his torso with sweat. Hmm, he’d forgotten about that one, he’d been sort of embarrassed about drawing it but now… well now he wasn’t. Still, it was hardly the occasion for it today.

Most of them were in black and white, just simple charcoal lines but there was one close up of Harry’s face that he’d done in colour specifically to show off those eyes that he’d fallen in love with. There was also a red rose diagonally across the bottom of the page as if he could be any more obvious and cliché about his feelings. Still, it was a good picture. 

He tore it out carefully and in the other corner he carefully added ‘ _ Mon amour pour toi est éternel’  _ in a cursive elegant black script. Might as well go the extra mile seeing as this was supposed to be a ‘I’m-sorry-I’m-such-a-dick-but-I-really-do-love-you’ sort of gift.

Clearly he’d got this all together just in time as Draco heard the front door open and then click shut again a few moments later. He then got slightly nervous as he stood in the kitchen and waited to see if Harry would walk in or whether he should call him in or not. What if Harry was cross with him? What if Harry realised that Draco was just a mean grumpy dick and he didn’t love him anymore? 

...But then he wouldn’t have made you pancakes would he, you insecure idiot, Draco thought to himself.

Just then the kitchen door opened but Harry looked surprised to see Draco just standing there by the table where he’d laid out his (hopefully) romantic apology display.

“Hey.” Harry said simply just looking at Draco with a slightly sheepish apologetic look but also one that was slightly hopeful and a tiny bit worried. There seemed like a lot he was saying in that one simple ‘hey’.

Draco had a lot to say too but all that came out was “Hi”.

The two of them just looked at each other for a moment and then Harry’s eyes drifted to the kitchen table where Draco had set a place for him for lunch in front of the flowers and the sketch.

“What’s all this then?” He asked quietly and the corners of his mouth turned up in a shy smile.

“Oh, I, er, I just wanted to say sorry and to show you that you are more important to me than work, than anything.” Draco said slightly nervously.

“That’s really sweet Dray, you didn’t have to do that.” Harry said, taking a step forward towards Draco, his smile growing steadily. 

“I did Harry. I was horrible to you this morning.” Draco started taking a step towards Harry now and reaching out tentatively to take one of his hands in his. “I didn’t sleep well, woke up with a headache and was just a bit stressed with how much work I have to do. I think you were right about last night being a bit much for me too and messing with my head a bit… Anyway, whatever was going on with me I shouldn’t have taken it out on you and I’m sorry.”

“It’s OK baby, that’s all completely understandable.” Harry said squeezing Draco’s hand and stepping forward again to close the gap between them completely. Harry cupped his hand around the back of Draco’s neck and leaned up slightly to kiss him on the cheek. He stepped back but left his hand there and circled his thumb gently on the base of Draco’s neck.

“I’m really sorry about the… you know, the surname thing. I really didn’t do it on purpose, you know I’d never do that. I know what that name means to you now, it’s just… well you kept snapping at me and calling me Potter, it was just instinct.” Harry said looking straight into Draco’s eyes and biting his lip a little worriedly. 

“I know Angel, I realised that as soon as you left and I was thinking rationally.” Draco said, taking his turn to lean forward and he kissed Harry on the forehead. 

“I’m sorry about ruining your perfume too and talking to you when you were trying to work. I really want to be supportive of your business.” Harry added.

“Oh you are Harry, you’ve been nothing but supportive. I know that you were just worried about me and I got irritated over nothing.” He ran his hand through Harry’s hair affectionately. “Thank you for my apology pancakes too, I really enjoyed them. You’re the best.”

Harry smiled broadly at him this time. “So we’re OK?”

“Of course we’re OK, it was one stupid little spat.” Draco said ruffling Harry’s hair some more and then coming to stand by his side nudging him slightly closer to the table.

Harry got the hint and stepped towards the table some more to pick up the sketch. “Draco this… this is beautiful.”

“Just drawing what I see.” Draco said nuzzling into Harry’s shoulder coyly.

“You really see me like this?” Harry asked, seeming a bit stunned.

“Yes, you’re gorgeous.” Draco said, trailing his finger along the jawline of the Harry drawn on the paper. “This was the third attempt at a colour version, I couldn’t get your eyes right. I’m mostly pleased with them but there is no colour in the universe as beautiful as your eyes.” 

Harry seemed a little lost for words as he breathed deeply and put his arm around Draco drawing him in even closer to his side. “My mother’s eyes.” Draco heard him whisper. Then he cleared his throat a little and ran his hand over the writing that Draco had added to the corner. “What does this mean?”

“My love for you is eternal.” Draco said blushing slightly. He suddenly realised how cheesy it is and thought it sounded better in French. 

“I love it thank you. I’m going to frame it with my other drawing and the flowers are beautiful, are they from the garden?” Harry asked with the smile, reaching out to run his thumb and forefinger over a bright petal of a mini umbrella flower.

“Yeah, we do actually have some beautiful flowers out there in between all the deadly ones. A lot of them can be used in my products too, did you know Kreacher can make fanged geranium oil?” Draco said happily, stepping back so Harry could take his seat at the table.

“Erm no.” Harry said surprised, tucking into his steak slice happily. 

Draco wasn’t going to have one but now he decided that he did want one after all. He went to get himself one, warmed it up quickly and then came to sit opposite Harry.

“Apparently Kreacher used to help out Regulus in the potions lab and he’s pretty useful as an assistant. He’s been helping me all morning and before you say anything he  _ wants _ to. He got all emotional about it, in a good way, and said what an honour it would be.” Draco explained.

Harry chuckled slightly. “He’s an odd one, but fair enough. If he likes it and it will help you then that’s good. I’ll just make sure to do more of the cleaning up around the house on the days he helps you so he doesn’t have to do too much in one day. I just worry about him, he’s so old now.”

“I know you do.” Draco said fondly, shaking his head slightly.

“I can help you too this afternoon if you want?” Harry offered with his mouth half full.

“Yeah, that would be great thanks. You’re actually pretty good at sending out the mail orders.” Draco said simply, after he’d finished a mouthful of his own steak slice.

Harry rolled his eyes. “Gee thanks, what a compliment.”

After they’d both finished their lunch and got cleaned up, Harry took Draco in his arms again and gave him a proper kiss this time. “I love you.”

“I know, I love you too.” Draco said kissing him back. 

“So erm, do you still need cheering up? Cos, erm I sort of had something I wanted to show you in case you did.” Harry said with a soft smile.

“Oh, well I  _ was _ fine but you know, now I think I’m a little sad again.” Draco said with an exaggerated sad little pout which made Harry laugh.

“Yeah, how did I guess that was coming?” He muttered slightly and then took Draco by the hand again. “Come on, work can wait five more minutes and I’ll be the most productive assistant ever all afternoon, I promise.”

*~*

Harry took him by the hand up two flights of stairs and for a moment Draco thought he was leading him to their bedroom. Maybe Harry was thinking of cheering him up in a  _ special _ kind of way. Draco wouldn’t complain exactly but he really didn’t want to take too much time away from work and thought it was a bit unrealistic of Harry to think that would only take five minutes. Although he did feel a bit guilty that it was kind of his fault they didn’t do anything last night or this morning. 

In fact, other than the rather rushed blowjob Draco had given Harry in the shower on Wednesday morning they’d barely done anything all week, well since Monday anyway. He’d have to do something about that. Should be be worried that his mind just wasn’t really on sex at the moment? The weekend had been incredible on that front and he hadn’t been able to get his mind of fucking Harry again but since he’d got back into work again after the wedding it had been so busy and he’d just been so tired. Was the honeymoon period of their relationship over already?

No, it wouldn’t be. He’d make sure of that. Tonight, they’d do something tonight.

It was then he realised that they’d passed the bedroom and Harry was taking him into the smaller of the two bedrooms opposite theirs. Teddy’s new bedroom. He’d forgotten that it had been done yesterday. They walked in and it almost took Draco’s breath away.

Teddy’s bedroom at home had a beautiful painting on one wall of a night’s sky featuring a bright full moon, plenty of stars and a silhouette of a howling wolf. Draco knew it had been done by Andromeda herself and it was very well done and had a lovely charm to it even if it was a little simple and rough around the edges. 

This though was clearly a professional job and Draco was impressed. He knew Dean was good and Harry did say he could paint but he didn’t realise the man was  _ this _ good. The room was dragon themed of course, Draco could have guessed that because they were Teddy’s favourite but it did make him smile. The four walls were painted a sky blue. Three of them were plain but the wall that Teddy’s bed was on had a big bright and detailed picture painted onto it.

It consisted of a big red dragon in the middle of the wall and the figure riding it was clearly Harry with his messy black hair and green eyes. Above that dragon were clouds and above those near the top of the wall were some smaller beautiful silvery-blue dragons that had a translucent quality to them. There was a pink haired woman riding one and a brown haired man riding the other, no doubt supposed to represent Teddy’s parents. 

Over on one side of a wall was a whole collection of smaller yellow dragons with an army of redheads on them, oh and one bushy haired brunette. On the other side there were two elegant looking black dragons flying alongside each other. One with a pale blonde witch on and another that had a more wiry black haired rider, no doubt this was Draco’s mother and aunt. It reminded him of the family tree Teddy had drawn but just with dragons.

However it was the dragon nearest the head of the bed flying just diagonally below the red dragon that got Draco’s attention. It seemed to be chasing Harry’s dragon and there were two figures on it. One little boy with electric blue hair and sitting just behind him was… well it was Draco himself. He couldn’t fathom why Teddy would want to share his dragon with him and not Harry but there was no one else it could be. No one else had that precise shade of platinum-blonde hair.

Draco brought his hand up to gently touch it and the magical painted green dragon fluttered his wings as Draco’s fingers trailed over it. He noticed then that there was a faint gold shimmer to it’s scales that reflected the light. It was beautiful, it was all beautiful. Draco had grown fond of Teddy in such a short space of time and he made no secret of it but he had no idea that he seemed to have captured his little cousin’s heart so much in return. 

Then Harry stepped forward and gently rested his head on Draco’s shoulder. “He told me that this is what he wanted and he even drew his own picture of it. I have it in my office. It’s cute right? I thought you’d like it.”

“It’s amazing.” Draco said, still slightly lost for words. “I- I didn’t realise that…”

“That Teddy loves you so much?” Harry asked, amused. “Come on Draco, it’s obvious how much he looks up to you.”

“Yeah but… I thought he’d want to be on the dragon with you. I- erm, well, I mean he loves you too.”

“Yeah, I know that.” Harry said happily, coming to stand in front of Draco to look at him properly. “I’m not jealous or anything if that’s what you’re thinking. I love how close Teddy is with you.”

Draco was a little relieved, he kind of was worrying about that but he wasn’t sure how to say it. He smiled at his boyfriend warmly as Harry carried on.

“I’m his Godfather and that will always be special; I knew his parents a bit and can tell him little things about them. I know first hand how precious that is but you are actually related to Teddy which is something really significant for him. We’ve always brought him up to know that family can be the family you choose and that he doesn’t need to have blood relatives to be loved but I don’t blame him for wanting them anyway. I know if I discovered some long lost blood relative who was actually nice then it would mean a lot to me. It’s no wonder he’s so attached to you and you’re good with him.”

“Yeah… I’m pleased I can be that for him.” Draco said thoughtfully. “I know we only saw him the other day but I kind of miss him already. It will be nice when he can spend the night and we can have more time with him.”

“I know.” Harry agreed with a smile. “Maybe I can ask Dromeda if we can bring him back with us Sunday after the Burrow to stay and then I can take him to school on Monday. I picked up a DVD from Tesco the other day that he’d like.”

“Oh yeah? What’s it called?” Draco asked with interest. He still hadn’t seen that many films but he definitely wanted to watch more of them.

“How to Train Your Dragon.” Harry said with a grin.

Draco laughed. “That sounds good. I’d love to curl up and watch a film with you and Teddy.”

“Yeah it does sound nice.” Harry said, smiling softly. 

“Although, you were right this morning though, waking up together and having breakfast together everyday is nice and I’m sorry I wasn’t there this morning. I really want to make sure that we have enough time together too. What are you doing tonight?” Draco said starting seriously and then turning it slightly more seductive.

“Erm, well I’m going to Ron and Hermione’s for dinner remember?” Harry said with a slightly guilty look. “I thought you were meeting Blaise anyway?”

“Oh yeah, I actually am. I forgot.” Draco said begrudgingly. “Then tomorrow evening we’ve got the dinner party and I really am going to have to work all day.”

Harry smiled at him slightly but Draco couldn’t help but notice it didn’t quite reach his eyes. “I know, it’s OK Dray. We said that this period was going to be busy for us, I’ve got the book and you’re getting ready for the Christmas rush. Our friends have got a lot going on too and we need to be there for them. We’ll try and make some time for each other too though but at least I get to have you in my bed every night even if we are too tired to actually do anything some nights. Breakfast together every morning though would be good, I did kind of miss it this morning.”

“I know mon Chéri, I’m sorry.” Draco said leaning forward to kiss him lightly on the lips.

“It’s OK.” Harry said after Draco broke away and leaned up to capture Draco’s mouth again, properly this time. “Come on then, let’s go rescue Kreacher and actually do some work ourselves.”

Fortunately, it was actually a pretty productive afternoon and all feelings about this morning were forgotten. All of Draco’s owl orders got sent out and he made pretty good progress on the bespoke commissions that had come in this week. At the end of the day he was in a much better mood than he had been at the start.

*~*

“Have you seen this?” Blaise asked putting a magazine down on the bar that Draco was waiting at.

“Hello to you too.” Draco responded.

“Sorry. Evening.” Blaise replied clapping Draco on the shoulder and taking the stool next to him. “So, have you seen this?” He asked again with a smirk as he angled this week’s Witch Weekly at him, the cover of which had a beautiful picture of Ernie and Astoria on.

“Oh the wedding issue is out, great.” Draco said happily but he was slightly worried about the amused expression on Blaise’s face. “What? Am I in it or something? Does it say something about me and… my boyfriend?” He added after a pause. They were in a wizarding pub so he didn’t want to risk using Harry’s name even though the place was pretty dead for a Friday evening.

“Oh you’re in it alright.” Blaise said with a big smile. “I take it you don’t mind being out?”

“Ohhh.” Draco said simply picking it up and turning to the page that Blaise had folded the corner over on. It seemed like most of the magazine was taken up with the wedding and he flicked past lots of photos of the happy couple and he was sure there had been a section on Harry which he’d circle back to. 

On this page though were indeed photos of him, a whole collage of them in fact. There was one of him greeting his mother, one of him standing next to Blaise drinking champagne in the courtyard, another where he was sat next to Harry at the table but they definitely didn’t look like anything other than friends here and some more of him dancing, one with Daphne, one with Hermione and one with Fred. He looked good and the photos were nice.

The text below the pictures read:

_ Another recognisable guest at the wedding was none other than Draco Black who was in the news last week for disinheriting himself from the infamous Malfoy name. He was the epitome of class and elegance in this stunning embroidered green suit jacket and the guests we spoke to confirmed that Mr. Black was nothing but polite and charming to everyone he met. It was lovely to see him and his mother Narcissa Black entertain the crowd with their social graces and obvious charisma. We here at Witch Weekly have missed their attractive sense of grace and sophistication at all the social occasions and hope we shall be seeing them again.  _

_ Unfortunately we failed to get a statement from Mr. Black but his new found friendship with none other than the Saviour of the Wizarding World was confirmed when the two of them were pictured sitting together at the wedding breakfast chatting amiably. How lovely it is to see these former school enemies get along, perhaps a lesson we can all learn from. (See more pictures of Mr. Potter and our exclusive interview with him on page five).  _

_ We did have the pleasure of speaking to the best man Mr. Finch-Fletchley who was sitting at Mr. Black and Mr. Potter’s table during the reception. We asked him what we thought of the mysterious Mr. Black and he informed us that they had enjoyed a lively discussion where Mr. Black was open, honest and friendly in conversation. Mr Finch-Fletchley was impressed with his former classmate and said he has “changed a lot since school”.  _

_ Excitingly, we also have an exclusive to share with you all about the former Mr. Draco Malfoy’s engagement with the bride’s sister herself, Miss Daphne Greengrass. According to our source Mr, Finch-Fletchley, Mr. Black was very up front about the fact that the engagement had been fake in order to “get Lucius off [his] back”. The best man also went on to tell us that Mr. Black admitted to being gay.  _

_ It seemed like there was quite a spectrum of sexualities at table three amongst the young attractive wedding guests. Miss Daphne Greengrass is now in a committed relationship with Mr. George Weasley (more pictures and details about the other happy couple of the wedding can be seen on page seven), one of the bridesmaid’s Violet was there with her girlfriend of six months, a Miss Lisa Turpin, and Mr. Blaise Zabini and Mr. Fred Weasley, who are both proud bisexual men, were also at the table.  _

_ Here at Witch Weekly we are very happy to see such representation in our modern day witches and wizards. (Look out for our special gay pride magazine episode coming next month!) _

By the time he’d looked up Blaise was settled with a glass of red wine and was talking to the barman.

“...well thanks again for coming Mr. Zabini and we look forward to meeting with any investors you think might be interested at your earliest convenience.” Said the slightly scruffy looking man behind the bar who Draco assumed at this point was actually the manager, not just the barman.

“Great, my assistant will be in touch with you shortly and thank you for the drinks.” Blaise said in a professional tone stretching out his hand for the man to shake. 

The guy shook it and wandered off. Draco then noticed that the rest of the bottle of white wine the barman had poured his first glass from was waiting on the bar with a cooling charm ready for him when he wanted a top up. There was a bottle of red sitting next to it for Blaise too.

“So that’s why you wanted to come here, this is work for you.” Draco accused slightly but with a smile. “I thought it was too much of a dive for your taste.” 

Blaise scoffed slightly. “Yes it is a bit, sorry. Although it won’t be a dive for much longer if I have anything to do with it. Anyway, what did you think of the article?”

Draco just shrugged. “Bit annoying of Finch-Fletchley to tell her everything when it was my story to tell, no doubt the journalist cornered him when he was drunk but still… what if I  _ did _ care about the public knowing?”

“But you don’t?” Blaise prompted.

Draco just shrugged again and took a sip of his wine. “Not really, not now Lucius isn't a factor and my Mother knows. I figured the whole ex-Death Eater thing is more of a reason for the public to hate me, so if they can get over that then they can get over my preference for cock.”

“That’s fair.” Blaise said simply. “I didn’t think you’d mind. I mean, you’re going to come out about your relationship eventually right? So the world will know anyway, this way at least some of the knowledge is already out there.”

“Yeah, that’s true. And to be fair to them the magazine was supportive of gay and bisexual people so that’s good. They didn’t even call me a Death Eater. It could have been a lot worse and I haven’t received any hate mail… that I know of anyway but I might have to check Kreacher hasn’t hidden it. No doubt we’ll have some fan mail at our place today from this.” Draco gestured to the magazine again, they both knew he was talking about Harry without him having to name him.

“Can I keep this?” He asked Blaise, he wanted to read what they’d said about his boyfriend later.

“Sure, figured you would. I’ve already read it. They were very complimentary about my outfit of course, even if my section was a lot smaller than yours.” Blaise said in a slightly bitter tone and Draco wasn’t entirely sure if he was joking about it or not. “They were good about Harry too, only saying what he said and nothing more. I think Miss Miller is actually a decent journalist even if she does like the gossip.”

“Yeah, she doesn’t seem too bad.” Draco agreed and they both took a few more sips of wine.

“So, about the wedding,” Draco started cautiously after a moment of quiet. “I need you to settle a bet for me.”

“You were betting on me?!” Blaise said smugly, his face lit up but then he thought about it and his expression fell slightly. “Oh.”

“What?” Draco asked, trying to judge the expression on Blaise’s face now.

“Well I’m guessing you were betting on my sex life?” Blaise questioned with a sigh.

“Er, yeah, we were. Wouldn’t have thought it would bother you.” Draco said, suddenly feeling half guilty about the look on Blaise’s face.

“Any other night of the year I would have been delighted about it but…” Blaise started before he trailed off and took a big sip of his wine.

“Oh.” Draco said simply this time, turning to his own glass. “Er, I’m guessing that means you didn’t get any?”

“Nope.” Blaise said grumpily, not even looking at Draco. 

“So Fred said no to you, big deal. There must have been plenty of other single people there. I saw you dancing with that hot girl with purple hair at one point, she seemed into you.” Draco pointed out.

“Yes, she totally was.” Blaise agreed arrogantly. “But I just wasn’t really in the mood.”

Draco spluttered into his wine glass just as he was taking a sip and then cursed Blaise for the liquid that was dribbling hideously down his chin.

Blaise though didn’t look amused and just passed him a napkin sadly.

“Sorry.” Draco mumbled. “Was just pretty surprised that’s all. I never knew it was possible for you to not be in the mood for sex.”

“Neither did I.” Blaise grumbled. “But it seems to be a feeling that’s sticking around.”

“What so… you haven’t… since…?” Draco asked incoherently, still trying to process what Blaise was saying.

“I haven’t had sex since I slept with that bridesmaid at the rehearsal dinner which was almost a week ago now.” Blaise confirmed for him flatly before reaching round the bar boldly and pouring himself a vodka shot. He took it quickly and then set the glass down on the bar. 

“Wow.” Draco said because he didn’t know what else to say.

“Yeah, laugh it up.” Blaise snapped.

“Hey man, I wasn’t laughing.” Draco said seriously. “I mean that really isn’t long for most people but I know it is for you. I don’t care either way, I just want you to be happy but… well you don’t seem very happy. Is this all because of Fred?”

Blaise was quiet for a moment before he did a kind of half shrug, half sigh. “I just thought he was into me too. I know he kept telling me that nothing was going to happen but I just thought he was playing hard to get, which is great usually. I enjoy a chase but usually it’s worth the effort I put in at the end.”

“Just because he didn’t want to sleep with you that night doesn’t mean he’s not into you. Maybe it’s just a longer chase than you’re used to?” Draco said sensibly but Bliase just mumbled something into his wine glass in a grumpy way. 

“So are you upset because _ someone  _ said no to you or are you upset because it’s Fred?” Draco questioned.

“I don’t knnoooow.” Blaise whined dramatically and then he poured himself another vodka shot. The barman looked over this time but he didn’t interfere, he obviously cared more about his possible investment than Blaise helping himself to drinks.

Draco had never seen Blaise like this and he wasn’t quite sure how to handle it but just when he was considering what to say Blaise spoke again. “Can we talk about you now? I miss the time when you had problems. I know your relationship is perfect but can you at least pretend it’s not, just for me?”

“It’s not always perfect.” Draco argued. 

“Oh please.” Blaise scoffed. “I’ve seen the way you two look at each other, you’re so in love it’s sickening. And all the pet names, the romantic dates, the sleeping in the same bed together every night, hosting dinner parties… bloody perfect. You might have been too tipsy to remember but you did tell me all about the perfect, hot, incredible sex on Monday night too you know.”

“Are you jealous?” Draco asked carefully, not sure if he should phrase it as a joke or not.

“No.” Blaise said quickly with a scowl. “You know I don’t want that. Are you kidding? Can you see me  _ like that _ with someone?!” He said, almost disgusted.

“No, not quite.” Draco admitted. “But not all relationships have to be like ours, relationships can be what you choose. I mean Longbottom and Lovegood have a kind of long-distance relationship and that works for them. And I think Fred is looking for someone to have an open relationship with. He doesn’t like all the romantic stuff either and wants to be able to continue some parts of his adventurous sex life whilst still having that constant companion by his side.”

“What’s that got to do with me?” Blaise said casually. A little _ too _ casually.

“So you knew that.” Draco said, reading his friend’s expression.

“He might have mentioned it.” Blaise muttered.

“He did? When?” Draco said, pushing him for information slightly. 

“When he asked me out on a date.” Blaise admitted reluctantly, topping up his glass of wine.

“He asked you out on a date?” Draco asked, surprised and picking up the glass of white wine that he hadn’t touched in a little while.

“He might have done.” Blaise said, halfway through his second large glass.

Draco turned his barstool to face the man properly and waited for him to elaborate but he didn’t. “Well? What did you say?” He asked him dramatically with a slight sense of impatience.

“I said no of course. I don’t date.” Blaise said stubbornly, downing the rest of his glass and topping himself up again. 

“You might want to slow down there buddy.” Draco said signalling the rapidly emptying bottle of red wine.

“Buddy?!” Blaise said incredulously with his nose screwed up slightly. “You’ve been spending too much time with the Weasleys.”

“Yeah, that family has been rubbing off on all of us.” Draco said fondly.

“Hmm, not in the way I’d like.” Blaise muttered.

“OK. I didn’t mean it like that, that’s just... _wrong_ , and I feel like this conversation is just going round in circles now.” Draco said, scratching his head slightly. 

“Yeah, it is.” Blaise grumbled again. “Tell me why your relationship isn’t as perfect as it looks.”

“Well I was really grumpy this morning and he was being all _ reasonable  _ and  _ understanding  _ about it-”

“What a bastard.” Blaise interrupted sarcastically.

“I know!” Draco said, playing along. “But seriously, you know that feeling when you just want to pick a fight with someone for the sake of it because you’re in a mood but when they are being nice to you it just pisses you off more?”

“Oh yeah, I’ve seen you like that before.” Blaise actually seemed happier at this topic of conversation and turned to face Draco with a smile. “You can be a real grumpy stubborn git when you want to be. What happened next?” He asked, gleefully.

“I snapped at him repeatedly and provoked him until he snapped back and called me Malfoy.” Draco admitted, only because his problems seemed to be giving Blaise a much needed ‘pick-me-up’. 

“Oh dear.” Blaise said, not sounding in the least bit upset or worried about it. “Bet he felt really guilty about that too.”

“Yeah he did.” Draco said with a nod of the head and then a small shy smile. “So guilty that he made himself late to the Ministry because he was making me a big stack of apology pancakes and crispy bacon with maple syrup.”

“So you act like a jerk and he’s understanding about it, you carry on pushing his buttons deliberately to the breaking point, then you end up with apology pancakes?!” Blaise said with a raised eyebrow. “Are you still going to try and convince me that your relationship isn’t perfect?”

Draco grinned. “Yeah, fair enough. It is pretty perfect isn’t it?”

Blaise didn’t reply to that properly, he just rolled his eyes and drank some more wine. 

“I did apologise too you know.” Draco felt like he needed to add. 

“Oh yeah? What was your apology gesture? A blowjob?” Blaise asked, seeming interested.

“Erm, some wild flowers from the garden, a romantic sketch and lunch on the table.” Draco mumbled slightly sheepishly but not really that embarrassed about it.

“Oh Merlin, it’s worse than I thought.” Blaise said, putting on a serious face. “You’ve been infected with the ‘serious relationship’ virus. That’s it now, there’s no hope for you.”

“Shut up you prat.” Draco said, giving him a nudge. “Still think you’re just jealous.”

“No, I’m not. Definitely not. No way, at all, in any shape or form.” Blaise insisted with another three gulps on wine in between.

“ The lady doth protest too much, methinks.” Draco answered with a smile and a bit of a knowing look.

“Did you just quote Shakespeare at me?” Blaise said looking half surprised and half impressed.

Draco blushed slightly and shrugged. “Harry has some lying around the house. I think Hermione bought a load of books for him but I doubt he’s ever read Hamlet though so someone has to appreciate it.”

“You’ve changed a lot.” Blaise said, but it didn’t sound like he meant it as a bad thing.

“Yeah I know.” Draco resigned himself to the fact that it was true.

“I think I like it.” Blaise said, after hardly any consideration.

“Me too.” Draco said with a smile. “So you sure you don’t want any type of relationship at all? Not even one where you can carry on visiting your kinky sex club and still get apology pancakes at home?”

“No.” Blaise said, not sounding convinced at all.

“Are you… are you OK?” Draco asked, slightly hesitantly. 

Blaise stiffened up and took a deep breath. He was trying to hide behind his mask but it had big cracks in it. He poured himself another vodka shot and Draco was now thinking he would have to apparate him home later, so when Blaise offered him the bottle and a shot glass he shook his head. 

“I’m going to have to move back to my bachelor pad.” Blaise said sadly after a moment.

“Oh? Has Daphne asked you to move out?” Draco said, surprised.

“No, but she will.” Blaise said flatly.

“You don’t know that.” Draco pointed out, hoping it was the right thing to say but honestly, he didn’t know.

“What? You think George will move in, they’ll have the baby and I’ll still just be around like some sort of weird permanent third wheel?” Blaise scoffed.

“Well, there’s no point getting ahead of yourself if Daphne hasn’t discussed living options with you yet.” Draco said, trying to give sensible advice. “Plus, I get the impression Fred is a bit worried about the possibility of George moving out too. Maybe you can work something out?”

Blaise laughed out loud at that. “Are you suggesting that I live with Fred? Or maybe the four of us just live together with the baby like one big happy family?”

“Well why not?” Draco said, wondering if he did sound as stupid as Blaise’s expression told him he sounded. 

“Look, I’m just trying to say who cares about what’s normal or what’s expected? You have this preconceived idea of what a relationship is like and you don’t want that so you think you don’t want a relationship at all. You also have deep rooted commitment issues because your mother is on her… ninth? husband now, which again is understandable but going on a date with someone and seeing how it goes doesn’t mean you’re tied to them for life. Plus you’re assuming that because Daphne and George are having a baby then they will want to live together just the two of them and get married but they might not.”

Draco paused to let that sink in, praying he hadn’t overstepped by bringing up Blaise’s fear of commitment and then carried on. “Maybe you need to have a think about what you  _ personally _ really want. Then, when you’ve figured that out, you guys need to talk about what you  _ all _ want and work out what’s best for all of you. Who cares if the arrangement you settle on is ‘normal’ or not?”

When Draco had finished he wondered if what he was trying to say had come across in the right way. Blaise seemed to be considering his words as he ran his finger round the rim of his wine glass. 

“Well I do hate to be predictable.” He said after a moment’s consideration.

“So you’ll think about what you want and then talk to Fred?” Draco asked quietly.

“And say what?” Blaise said even quieter, just staring at the bar.

“Maybe start by accepting his date?” Draco said cautiously but then added “because you clearly like him. I haven’t seen you this upset about anyone… well ever.”

“Well it’s too late, I already said no to the date and I don’t  _ like _ him.” Blaise said screwing his nose up. “It’s just part of the chase you know? I’m kind of obsessing over him because he said no to me and I want to convert that no to a yes that’s all.”

“Sure, whatever you say.” Draco said, unconvinced and finally topped up his wine glass just a little.

“I don’t like him.” Blaise repeated tipping the rest of the bottle into his wine glass. 

“I mean, I do like his sense of humour, he’s really funny. I like the way he looks, he’s not what I would usually go for but I kind of like that lanky, freckly, ginger thing he has going on. I like the way he dresses, it’s so ridiculous that it’s actually kind of stylish and his love of colour contrasts against my obsession with black. He’s just different in every way and different is exciting.”

Blaise rambled on, slurring his words every so slightly. “I bet he’s really good in bed too. I get the impression we’d be very sexually compatible in what our favourite things are but then I also think that we’d both like to mix it up occasionally. I know he’s kinky but I want to find out all his kinks. I like the way he acts like nothing will shock him but then I can still make him blush.” Blaise smiled particularly when he said this point but he didn’t seem done.

“I like that he’s ambitious, driven and clever. I mean what they’ve done with their business is impressive. I like how outgoing and daring he is, he’s really charismatic, cheeky and kind of charming. I like that he doesn't take life too seriously and he doesn’t care what people think of him. He just does what he wants to make himself happy but also he’s not selfish at all, he likes to make everyone around him happy too. I like the way that he’s kind of similar to me but also completely different. I’ve never met anyone like-”

Blaise suddenly stopped and seemed utterly mortified at how much he’d admitted. He froze with his hand on his wine glass before moving it to the vodka bottle and getting himself another shot. After that he leant forward to take the wine glass in his hand once more.

“So you like  _ everything _ about him but you don’t like  _ him _ ? Just to clarify.” Draco said dangerously as Blaise turned and looked like he might hex him.

In the end though all Blaise did, after he turned to Draco with a wild look in his eye, was collapse forward onto his shoulder with a groan.

“You got it bad huh?” Draco said, rubbing his back slightly.

“No.” Blaise mumbled.

“OK, so we’re still in the denial stage. Good to know.” Draco said more to himself than anyone else. “How about we get you home now?”

“No. I need to go out and get laid.” Blaise said in a voice that wasn’t convincing at all.

“I don’t think that’s what you really want.” Draco said softly, still rubbing Blaise drunken back. 

It really was weird to see his cool, calm and collected friend in this state. Daphne had her freak out and Draco had comforted her and now it seemed like it was Bliase’s turn. When did Draco become the sensible one?! Probably when he started going out with Harry, he thought to himself with a smile.

“You want to come back to ours?” Draco offered.

“Hmm, I thought you’d never ask.” Blaise said flirtatiously, finally separating himself from Draco. “Do I get to sleep in bed with the two of you like a crazy famous hot wizard sandwich?”

“No, most definitely not. You can have the spare room.” Draco said firmly, raising his eyebrow at him but smiling nonetheless.

“Well, still the best offer I’ve had tonight.” Blaise said with a yawn.

It didn’t look like he was getting laid himself tonight, Draco thought to himself. Blaise probably wouldn’t care but for some reason he’d feel weird doing it with his friend in the house. Still, Blaise needed him and he felt bad about sending him home drunk to be Daphne’s problem. He would look after Blaise for a change.

“Come on then. I’ll firecall Daphne when we get home so she doesn’t worry and you can sleep off the wine… and the vodka. We can talk some more over breakfast in the morning.” Draco said getting up off his stool and offering his arm out to Blaise.

Surprisingly they both got home before Harry but it seemed like all of Blaise’s alcohol had finally caught up with him so Draco just put him to bed upstairs. After that, he just put himself to bed, it had been a long day. Also surprisingly, he fell asleep almost as soon as his head hit the pillow which was very unusual for him. He just about registered Harry crawling into bed at some point and spooning him gently from behind but apart from that, the next thing Draco knew it was morning.

*~*

“Hmm morning.” Draco said as he felt Harry nuzzling into his neck and giving him little kisses.

“Hi.” Came the reply, followed by more kisses on Draco’s neck and a hand snaking around his waist to find his morning wood.

“Harry, we can’t.” Draco replied, pushing Harry’s hand away slightly and then turned to face him.

“Oh? What’s up?” Harry said, sounding disappointed. 

“I’m sorry, just feels weird. Blaise is here.” Draco said trailing his hand down the side of Harry’s face.

“He is?” Harry said surprised and looking around in confusion.

“Not  _ here _ here.” Draco said laughing slightly. “He’s upstairs sleeping off the wine and the vodka. I’m sorry, I was just worried about him and I didn’t want him to be Daphne’s problem.”

“So now he’s our problem?” Harry asked, amused.

“Yeah… sorry.” Draco said smiling at him. “He’s always been there for me and truthfully I’ve never really had to be there for him, he’s always so level-headed and unflappable but he was in a bit of a state last night.”

“It’s fine, you don’t need to apologise for taking care of your best mate.” Harry said stroking lovingly down Draco’s naked torso under the covers. “I’m sorry Blaise wasn’t doing so good. What’s he upset about?”

“Fred.” Draco said simply with a little grin.

“Oh.” Harry replied, looking surprised again but then smiling slightly. “Interesting.”

“Yeah.” Draco agreed.

They cuddled for a while and then Draco gave Harry a sweet, gentle kiss before forcing himself to get up. He had a shower and Harry did join him but they simply washed each other, sharing a few chaste kisses under the water but nothing more. 

Afterwards they both went down the kitchen and Draco cooked breakfast (with a little guidance from Harry) whilst Harry made three cups of coffee. Draco had sent Kreacher up to Blaise with a hangover potion and to tell him he was welcome to join them for breakfast. He also said that Kreacher could lend Blaise any clothes that would fit him.

Just as they were plating up three plates of full English fry up, Blaise wandered into the kitchen in a pair of Draco’s black jogging bottoms and a plain grey t-shirt that was a little too short for him but fitted well over his slender shoulders and lean chest.

“Thank you for the hangover potion.” He mumbled as he sunk into one of the kitchen chairs.

In the end Blaise ended up staying the whole day and was an invaluable help to Draco in the lab down the stairs. It allowed them some more time to chat (although everytime Draco brought up Fred, Blaise would change the subject) and it also allowed Draco to get all his work done and Harry time to work on the book which was almost finished now.

Draco did learn from Blaise during their conversation that George had apparently proposed to Daphne as soon as they’d had some proper alone time after the baby announcement here the other day. Surprisingly though Daphne had said no, not because she didn’t want to marry George but because she didn’t want to get engaged just because she was pregnant. According to her, when they got engaged, she wanted a proper proposal that had been planned out with an actual ring, and she wanted it because it was the right time for them and George wanted to ask her, not just because it was the right thing to do.

To be fair, Draco could understand that and from what he knew about Daphne he wasn’t entirely surprised. Daphne was a complicated person, on the one hand she did still have all those traditional values instilled in her but on the other she was trying to be a modern day witch doing things in her terms. It seemed like now she’d gotten over the shock of being pregnant, she was going to do this her way, with George and all her friends by her side supporting her. 

Blaise also suspected it had something to do with the fact that she didn’t want to look ‘fat’ in her wedding dress too and Draco had a sneaking suspension he might be right. 

They’d finished all of Draco’s jobs for the day around four and Blaise seemed a lot more like himself, even if they hadn’t really resolved the Fred issue. Blaise went back to Daphne’s to get changed and ready for tonight and Draco reluctantly informed Harry that he had won the bet.

That was how Draco found himself two hours later slaving away in the kitchen wearing nothing but a pair of Harry’s Gryffindor red boxers and Harry’s old Gryffindor school tie under a black ‘kiss the chef’ apron that Harry had apparently got as a Christmas present from the twins years ago but never worn.

‘The boss’ for the evening was apparently in a pizza mood but when Draco had tried to convince him to order it in, Harry had insisted Draco had to cook. So that was why Draco was currently rolling out a ton of pizza dough into what he was trying to convince himself were perfect circles (although they were slightly square like in reality). Harry, who definitely had the muscles for rolling out dough, was just sitting on the kitchen counter watching him. 

Draco would be more annoyed at him if it wasn’t for the fact that Harry had actually made all the pizza dough himself from scratch that afternoon and Draco had only just taken over from him in the cooking process. 

Just then a knock on the door came. Draco, who currently had flour all over his hands and apron, was waiting for Harry (or even Kreacher) to answer the door but Harry was just looking at him expectantly. 

“Well, go and get the door Draco, the guests are here.” Harry said with an evil looking grin.

“I can’t answer the door looking like this. Where’s Kreacher?” Draco said brushing some hair out of his face and then getting flour on his forehead too and probably on his cheek.

“I gave him the night off. He helped in your lab all day yesterday and today.” Harry pointed out far too sensibly for Draco’s liking. “Besides, why would we need Kreacher when we have two willing helpers already for our little dinner party?”

“I’m not willing, I hate this already.” Draco grumbled.

“Well you came up with this whole idea.” Harry said prodding him in the chest.

“Yeah, I know. That makes it worse.” Draco grumbled as he reluctantly made his way to the door after hearing a second knock.

He opened it and stepped back, already dreading the comments he would get and sure enough he wasn’t wrong about his friends reactions.

Fred was first through the door and looked at Draco with a massively irritating broad grin. He said nothing but he did lean forward and plaster a great big sloppy kiss on Draco’s cheek (the cheek that didn’t have flour on it).

“What was that for?” Draco said disgusted and fiercely wiping his cheek with his hand as the others stepped in.

“Just obeying the apron.” Fred said, stepping past Draco to greet Harry who had also come into the hallway. 

“Oh yes, that is excellent. Tonight is going to be fun!” George said, opening his mouth again for another sarcastic comment but Harry spoke first.

“Don’t get too comfortable George, you haven’t seen your outfit yet.” Harry reminded him.

George didn’t look too concerned though, he probably didn’t embarrass that easily, not as easily as Draco did.

Blaise stepped forward next and his smirk was much more of his old normal self as he too gave Draco a smacking great kiss on the cheek. 

“Blaise!” Draco objected, rubbing his cheek again.

“Just be thankful it wasn’t on the lips.” Blaise said with a suggestive eyebrow. “If your boyfriend wasn’t the most powerful man in Britain, it might have been.”

Harry made some sort of weird uncomfortable sounding noise behind him but didn’t say anything.

“Hello Darling.” Daphne said, also giving him a kiss on the cheek, although at least that was their usual greeting. She was even kind enough to brush the flour off his face for him.

“Alright, I just need to make one amendment to this apron now that everyone has had their fun.” Harry said stepping forward and summoning his wand from where he’d abandoned it in the lounge at some point. 

Usually he just pulled Draco’s wand out of it’s holster on his left arm if he needed a wand for a spell as Draco’s worked just as well for him and he pretty much always had it on him. He wasn’t wearing it now though, he’d gotten more used to not wearing the holster around the house and not always having his wand on him. It was surprising how he didn’t really care about his faded Dark Mark being on show anymore. He wasn’t quite at the stage where he’d display it in public but this was his home and his best friends who didn’t care that it was there.

Looking down he could just about make out the words that Harry had magically added to the apron. It now read ‘Kiss the chef  **once** ,  _ unless you’re Harry Potter and then you can kiss him as many times as you like _ ’. 

“Nice touch.” Fred and Blaise said at exactly the same time. There was an awkward moment where they looked at each other and then looked away quickly.

Draco looked between them and then just grumbled. “I hate this stupid tie and these boxers. I do  _ not _ look good in this shade of red and I feel horribly objectified.” He hoped it would defuse the slight awkwardness in their air.

“Well I’m definitely not going to be checking out how your arse looks in those tight little red pants, don’t worry.” George said with a smile. “But I am the only person here who doesn’t fancy men so I can’t speak for the others.”

“Well I won’t be either, I promise.” Daphne said sincerely.

“I probably will.” Blaise said with a shrug.

Draco just glared at him but Blaise put his hands up in surrender. “What? Just being honest.”

“I already have and I can confirm it looks good.” Fred said unashamedly.

Draco just tutted and threw his hands up in the air before spinning round and returning to the kitchen.

“Oh, it looks even better now.” He heard Fred say behind him.

Then Harry’s voice sounded out across the hallway. “You can look but don’t touch.”

“No, you can’t even look.” Draco called out across his shoulder, but secretly he didn’t really mind.

Harry called George upstairs so the other three just followed Draco into the kitchen and watched him happily as he continued to roll out the pizza dough. Draco was happy to see that Daphne was practically glowing, she definitely seemed a lot happier than Draco had seen her recently. 

Blaise appeared as cool, calm and collected as always, there was definitely no hints of his freak out last night but Draco sensed he wasn’t quite as relaxed on the inside as he seemed on the outside and there was definitely some tension between him and Fred. 

Daphne was trying her best to stand between them and entertain them both in conversation but fortunately she didn’t have to try too long before Harry and George came back into the kitchen.

George didn’t look at all bothered by his outfit and was smiling cheekily as they all took in his new appearance. It was very similar to Draco’s outfit, except his boxers were Slytherin green and he was wearing a Slytherin tie too. Draco assumed Harry must have got it from Blaise as his own had been burned along with the rest of his personal possessions. 

It was his apron that got the most attention though. It was white, not black like Draco’s and it had black and red writing on saying ‘Just call me… Daddy.’

“Well it’s good to see that our Christmas presents to you are finally being used Harry.” Fred chuckled.

Daphne walked up to George and gave him a kiss. “Hi Daddy.” She said with a slight hint of seduction in her voice.

“Eugh, I didn’t need to hear that.” Fred said, screwing up his nose and taking a step away from Daphne and George which happened to bring him closer to Blaise.

“You can call me Daddy if you want.” Blaise whispered not-so-quietly into Fred’s ear.

Draco thought Fred might blush again but Fred just turned to Blaise head on and looked him straight in the eye. “You know what I want.” He said determinedly. 

Blaise just looked away.

Draco and Harry glanced at each other across the room, both clearly thinking the same thing. It was going to be a long night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always I'd love to know what you think. Your comments inspire me, motivate me and just generally make me really happy so if you're still enjoying this fic (and it hasn't bored you to death with how out of control crazy long it is getting) then please take two minutes just to let me know!  
> Love you all! <3
> 
> Also, please check out my other stories if you haven't already. The next one to update will be The Desired.  
> I know I'm being the most annoying writer who has three stories on the go at once but I promise you they will all be finished including Process of Healing which I'm not currently working on but I will get back to it.
> 
> I also have received my first Tumblr story request which I am very excited about and definitely will be writing in the near future and I have another story in the planning stages too so lots more to come from me if you like my writing.  
> I don;t post a lot on Tumblr but you can come and chat to me there anytime! @hufflepuffromantic


	41. Harry: Saturday 5th- Sunday 6th November

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You may have noticed the chapter number update. I have spent a long time this week reading back over the whole story and planning out the last few chapters properly so I'm fairly confident now that they won't change now. I plan on it being 45 chapters in total but then with an epilogue.  
> This fic is so long it's crazy! I always knew it would be long and I love long fics but even I didn't expect it to be this long. I'm sure it will put some people off and maybe I have been too ambitious with this with too many characters and side plots but it evolved that way because I had so much encouragement from you guys, my lovely readers, about those aspects of the story. (Thank you!)  
> As a reader whenever I get to the end of a story I always want to know what happens next and am always disappointed that it's finished. Still, all stories must end somewhere right?!
> 
> Anyway, another thing to notice is that I am upgrading the rating in the end. I was hesitant as I usually think if explicit stories as being really smutty and I don't think this is but then the few sex scenes I have are quiet detailed I suppose and it's better to be safe than sorry just in case someone isn't expecting them to be that explicit.  
> There is rimming in this chapter so if that's not your thing then feel free to skip that section.   
> Hopefully though, those of you who don't mind it find it hot and well written?!  
> Let me know!
> 
> Enjoy!

“Right, well keep rolling sweetheart.” Harry smiled to Draco and gave him a cheeky wink. “Then on the trays with the tomato sauce, cheese and any other toppings you want. Let me know if you need my help but you’ll be fine.” He said that last bit quieter, stepping into his space and giving him a kiss on the cheek. 

Draco was scowling at him and muttered something rude under his breath but Harry knew him well enough to know he was just putting it on. Fake grumpy Draco was one of his favourite things, he was cute like this. Of course, he had seen real grumpy Draco yesterday which wasn’t so cute but they got through it.

“I’m going to take our guests into the dining room and George you can make our drinks at the bar.” Harry instructed gleefully, enjoying his position of power far too much and leading the group into the dining room waiting for them to see what he’d set up.

“Yes boss.” George said following them.

“Oh wow Harry, this is great.” Daphne said walking in first as Harry held the door open.

For the first time ever since Harry had lived here, the double glass doors that lead out from the dining room to the garden were open. He’d set up a bonfire in the garden and scattered lots of blankets and large cushions around, plus some fairy lights and lanterns. He’d borrowed them all from Molly for Draco’s date and she was only too delighted to let him take them from the shed again. He’d set up warming charms in the dining room so it wouldn’t get cold with the door open and once the fire was lit it would be better too.

“Well it is the fifth of November so I thought a bonfire was necessary and a nice way to use the garden while it’s clear and empty.” Harry said happily as Daphne, Blaise and Fred were checking out the space. “You got the fireworks for later?” Harry said quietly to George in the doorway.

“You betcha. It’s going to be epic.” George beamed. “I’ll play my bartender role first and then get them set up.”

“Great, cheers.” Harry clapped him on the shoulder and then walked further into the room to join the other.

“So we can sit in here or sit outside, make yourselves comfortable wherever. Figured we’d have more of a chilled evening with pizza and drinks rather than a formal dinner party.” Harry explained as Daphne sat herself down happily at the dining table and Blaise went out to investigate the bonfire.

Fred followed him and the two of them started debating the most efficient way to light it. George rolled his eyes at Daphne and Harry as he gestured towards the bickering ‘couple’ and he went to break it up a bit by asking them what they wanted to drink.

“So how are you doing?” Harry asked Daphne as he took a seat next to her.

“Much better now thank you.” She said in a soft friendly voice and giving Harry’s hand a gentle squeeze. “I have come to terms with my- _ our _ situation and now I’m starting to feel excited about it. Well, I’m excited until I think about telling my parents anyway.”

“Oh right, yeah. When are you going to do that?” Harry said, feeling slightly awkward, this wasn’t really his field of expertise and he wasn’t great at giving advice at the best of times. 

“Not until I absolutely have to.” She said with a bit of a forced smile this time. “I mean, it will be fine in the long run I’m sure. I know I’m lucky and I shouldn’t be moaning to you of all people about my parents-”

“Daph, it’s fine. Don’t…” Harry trailed off, unsure how to finish that sentence but she seemed to understand. “Just carry on.”

“OK.” She said simply, with a nod and a more genuine smile. “Well anyway, I know they love me and they wouldn’t  _ do _ anything but they won’t like it and they definitely won’t understand why we’re not getting married.”

“I heard he proposed.” Harry said quietly as George walked past into the garden with two cocktails for Fred and Blaise. 

“But for what it’s worth I get it. I can understand wanting to get married on your terms, when it’s right for the two of you, not just because it’s commonly thought of as ‘the right thing to do’. I know some people won’t get it but stuff them. As long as you and George are happy and on the same page about things then that’s all that matters and you know that we’ll always be here for you both… well for the  _ three _ of you.” He added with a grin.

“Yes, I know. Thanks.” She smiled, placing her hand on top of Harry’s and giving it a gentle squeeze.

“Right then, those idiots have been served. What can I get for you my good lady.” George called out loudly coming over to kiss the back of Daphne’s hand.

“Virgin raspberry mojito please.” She demanded with a sweet smile.

He grinned back at her. “Ironic really isn’t it, that they call it a virgin drink given the circumstances?”

Harry chuckled a bit as Daphne just rolled her eyes at her comical boyfriend. 

“And what is it that the master of the house wishes to drink?” Georges jested with a bow to Harry.

“I’ll keep it simple for you mate, I’m in a beer mood if that’s alright. But mine can wait until the other master of the house gets a drink.” He smiled thinking of Draco in the kitchen in his cute little apron with flour on his face.

“Oh yeah, should probably ask him too.” George agreed. “Poor guy needs a drink, he’s in a right mood.”

“Nah he’s not really, he’s only fake grumpy.” Harry laughed and Daphne confirmed it as she also knew Draco’s moods well by now.

Sure enough, a little while later, after Fred and Blaise had both lit the bonfire (from different starting points but equally as effective as each other), Draco came into the dining room sipping a glass of white wine and smiling. His apron was even more messy than it was before and he was pushing a strand of hair out of his face in further evidence that his usual immaculate locks were a bit out of place.

“Hiya love.” Harry said scooting his chair back and holding his arms open.

Draco took the prompt and came over to sit himself down on Harry’s lap happily. “Hi, the first pizzas are in the oven.”

“See? Told you you’d make a good sexy little chef.” Harry mumbled in his ear as he rubbed his hand up and down Draco’s bare back. 

Then he realised that it was probably a bad idea to have his hot half naked boyfriend sitting on his lap when they had company. Daphne seemed to realise this too and maybe thought it was best to give them a moment as she quietly got up to go give George a cuddle by the bonfire.

Harry took advantage of her absence by continuing to whisper into Draco’s ear. “You do look really good like this.”

Draco groaned but Harry wasn’t quite sure if it was in a good way or not until Draco stiffened slightly. “Don’t.” He said quietly, as Harry continued to run his hands all over him and then thumped his head down on Harry’s shoulder. “Harry… I’m really fucking horny.”

“I know sweetheart, it’s been a while I’m sorry. It’s not just you who’s feeling it, I want you… so much.” He purred against Draco’s neck.

Draco jumped off his lap quickly. “Harry.” He hissed. “Not now, don’t make me… I need to check on the pizzas.” And then he was gone.

Harry sighed, picked his beer back up to take a swig and then called George back over to ask him to go help Draco out in the kitchen. Fred glanced up too and then came to sit next to him whilst Daphne and Blaise were platonically cuddling around the fire.

“You alright?” Fred asked casually.

“Yeah, just sexually frustrated and I think I’ve annoyed Draco by making him get an erection in his current outfit.” Harry looked up at Fred with a guilty sort of smile and Fred just laughed.

“Oh dear. He won’t be thanking you for that.” Fred said finishing up his long island iced tea that George had made for him.

“No he won’t.” Harry agreed. “Anyway, now I’ve got you alone, what’s going on with Blaise? I know his side but I was just wondering if you’re OK?”

Fred sort of shrugged and sighed at the same time. “Honestly, I’m not really sure. Did you, er, did you hear that I asked him out on a date?”

Harry nodded looking a tad guilty again but Fred didn’t seem too surprised or too bothered.

“That’s alright, not much stays secret in our new little group.” He remarked humorously. “So if you heard that then you’ll also know that he said no so I guess that’s that. It kind of sucks to be rejected the first time I ever ask someone out on a proper  _ actual _ date. Thing is though, not to sound ridiculously arrogant or anything but I don’t think he said no because he doesn’t want to but because he’s scared or because he doesn’t know what he wants or whatever.”

Harry smiled at him encouragingly. “I think you’re right and I’m sure he’ll come round, he just needs time.”

“Yeah… I hope so. I actually do really like him in a weird sort of way.” Fred lamented as he made his way to the bar to make another long island iced tea for himself. Harry followed him and propped himself up at the small bar so they could carry on chatting. 

“Like, he drives me crazy. He’s so stubborn and arrogant and he’s so stiff and formal sometimes. He really needs to loosen up and have some fun and what’s with his obsession to wear black all the time? He has a boring job too and he’s a bit too quiet and hard to read. Sometimes I just want to shake him but I also really  _ really _ want to kiss him.” Fred whined.

Harry laughed slightly but tried to be sympathetic too. “Yeah, it’s odd because in many ways you guys are really different but then you do want exactly the same thing, Blaise is just too stubborn to admit it yet.”

“Yeah exactly.” Fred agreed enthusiastically as he poured another measure of rum into his drink even though Harry was sure he’d already added that. “Thing is, I know exactly how he feels. It’s been an adjustment for me, realising that I do want a more stable relationship with someone. When you broke off our little arrangement I did miss it. I mean, not you so much, erm no offence-”

“None taken, it’s alright. I know what you mean.” Harry said quickly. “I didn’t miss  _ you  _ but I missed not having someone at night and things like that.”

“Right, yeah, exactly.” Fred replied, looking relieved that Harry understood what he was getting at. “I couldn’t miss  _ you _ because you’re still in my life and we’re still just as good mates as we were before and it wasn’t even the sex I missed because I could get sex anywhere... again no offence, you were very good at that but er, yeah. It was the other little things I missed. Like coming up to find you’d already made a start on dinner and…”

Fred trailed off like he thought better of what he was about to say and just looked down to the drink he was mixing.

“And?” Harry prompted carefully.

“Well… look mate, I get it I really do. I’m really pleased for you like I said so don’t read too much into it but...  _ I _ used to be the person you came to first about things. When you were happy, pissed off, anything, you came straight to me and I just miss being that person for someone. I realised it after you switched your emergency contact at St. Mungos. It’s so stupid but I was yours and I still am George’s but then he’ll probably change it to Daphne at some point just like you changed yours to Draco and then I’ll be no one’s. I just want to be someone’s… person.”

Fred finished and looked down at his half made drink dejectedly. Harry took a quick moment to look around and he realised that Blaise was also looking this way with concern written all over his face. It was clear that Blaise did care about Fred, whatever he might say. Harry didn’t know what to say in these sort of situations. He wanted Fred and Blaise to get together but he wasn’t quite sure if he wanted to get in the middle of it, what was he supposed to do here exactly?

He went round the bar and pulled Fred in close for a tight hug hoping that actions did speak louder than words. He opened his mouth to say something though, anything supportive or helpful but then-

“Dinner’s ready.” A very jovial and slightly tipsy Draco called out as he swung the dining room door open suddenly. “Oh.” He said simply as he took in the scene and stopped in the doorway. “Sorry, were you having a moment?” He scowled slightly. 

“Who’s having a moment?” George’s voice called out from somewhere behind Draco. “If it’s Fred and Blaise then shove over, I wanna see.”

“No, it’s Fred and  _ my  _ boyfriend.” Draco called out over his shoulder still holding two plates of pizza in his hands.

“Dray, we weren’t-” Harry said quickly, panicking slightly at Draco’s tone of voice and then looking at how close him and Fred were. He stepped back hastily. “We weren’t having a moment.” He pleaded with Draco.

“Oh did we miss the moment?” Blaise questioned cheekily, strolling into the dining room from the garden with Daphne’s arm looped in his.

“Argh, for fuck’s- there was no  _ moment _ .” Harry said more insistently as Draco continued to frown at him. “Baby, please I-”

“Relax Harry. I’m teasing you.” Draco said, suddenly losing the scowl and smiling broadly. 

He stepped forward, plastered his lips on Harry’s and winked at Fred who was looking happier all of a sudden. The kiss was over before Harry had even had a chance to respond to it though and then Draco was putting the pizza on the dining room table. George followed him and put two more pizza’s down. Draco had done well, they looked amazing and there were a whole variety of toppings. 

Blaise was laughing at Draco’s little practical joke but Harry could see he still glanced over at Fred every now and then with his smile fading slightly.

George went behind the bar to make another round of cocktails as Draco whispered something in Fred’s ear that made him smile and nod before going back out the room. Harry went after him and found him in the kitchen.

“You idiot, I was really worried that you were still finding reasons to be jealous of me and Fred or something.” He chastised. 

“I know, I’m sorry. You should have seen the look on your face though.” Draco laughed. “I was just getting you back for putting me in this ridiculous outfit and then giving me a semi.”

Harry huffed a bit then shook his head with fondness stepping forward to give Draco a proper kiss. 

“What did you say to Fred?” He asked after he broke away from the kiss but left his hands around the back of Draco’s neck.

Draco smiled at him as he held his waist. “I told him that you were useless at advice and that I would have a chat with him later. I know the way Blaise works. I’m not going to meddle too much but I can give Fred a few tips, give Blaise a gentle nudge if needed then hopefully they can work the rest out.”

“OK then my little matchmatcher, thank you. You’re right, I am shit at giving advice, I was already having a bit of an internal panic.”

“I know.” Draco said, leaning forward to nuzzle Harry’s nose slightly. “I could see that when I came in, hence the joke. Thought it would lighten the mood and then get everyone just focused on the dinner. Speaking of which-”

Draco gave Harry one more quick kiss before pulling himself away and going back to the oven. “Grab the salad out of the fridge would you? And then take that stack of plates. I’ll bring the cutlery for the salad.” He asked nicely as he got the garlic bread out of the oven, transferred it onto a wooden board and then switched the oven off.

Harry did what he was told and together they went back to join the others, putting everything they were carrying on the dining table. George already had a slice of pizza in each hand but most of the others seemed to be waiting for the plates.

“S’good mate.” George said to Draco with his mouth half full as the rest of them helped themselves to some food and went to sit on the makeshift seats around the bonfire.

Harry was the last to get his dinner and venture into the garden. Draco had transfigured a log into a chair and Harry sat on the floor in front of him, leaning back against his legs slightly. It was nice. 

Daphne and George were sitting together slightly further round the bonfire. George had brought her out a proper chair from the dining room and made extra comfortable for her even though she insisted she would have been fine sitting on an upturned log like him. Blaise and Fred were spread out on the blanket opposite with cushions sitting slightly closer than Harry had seen them before but still refusing to act couply.

They sat in front of the bonfire like that for most of the night, eating, chatting, drinking and relaxing. At one point Draco had indeed dragged Fred away subtly for a chat. Then later on in the evening he’d shared a quiet exchange with Daphne before settling back at Harry’s side on the extra large bean bag he was now lying against. 

Harry also noticed that Blaise and Daphne were whispering together slightly further down the garden a little while after that. He just let it all happen though. He was happy to let Draco and Daphne play matchmaker whilst he sat back and enjoyed the evening.

Fred and Blaise barely spoke to each other, from what Harry saw, but they did keep stealing glances at the other and sometimes sat very close together indeed. There were no obvious displays of affection but they seemed to be dancing around each other and there were lots of little shoulder-brushing moments.

After the pizza was mostly gone Draco got marshmallows on sticks for everyone to toast on the fire and then a little while after that George started the fireworks with a little help from his twin. The fireworks, as always, were incredible and Harry smiled to himself as the four remaining friends cuddled up with blankets and cushions to watch them. 

At this point Draco was wearing his joggers and a hoodie as Harry hadn’t really planned on bossing him and George around the whole night. It had been fun at the beginning and he knew that secretly Draco liked the attention but he wanted him to relax and enjoy himself too.

Draco was being very touchly-feely tonight, more so than usual and Harry could tell by the looks he was giving him that he was still feeling frisky but he didn’t do too much in front of their friends. Hopefully he’d still be up for something when they left but equally Harry was in no hurry to end such a relaxing evening.

He was wondering how he got so lucky to enjoy evenings like this as he rested his head on Draco’s thigh. Draco brought his arm down to run it though Harry’s hair whilst his other arm was around Daphne as she stretched her legs over Blaise’s lap. Good food, good atmosphere but more importantly good company. It was perfect. 

*~*

Draco was on him the minute the front door closed after they said goodbye to their friends. He was kissing him fiercely and pressing him gently against the wall… and then not so gently.

“Harry… please.” He begged against Harry’s lips barely pulling back to speak as he wasted no time moving his hands round to Harry’s arse and squeezing it through his jeans. “Please let me fuck you, it’s been too long. I need you. Been thinking about it all night.” He pleaded into Harry’s ear before giving it a gentle nibble as he proceeded to grind his hips into him.

“Hmm.” Harry groaned in agreement before his brain told him he shouldn’t probably use actual words. “Yes. Want you, need you too.” He stammered out grinding his pelvis back against Draco and rutting together with him. 

“Bed.” He gasped as Draco sucked enthusiastically on his neck.

“Too far.” Draco mumbled as he backed off Harry just enough to then pull him with him as he moved. 

Draco carried on kissing him passionately as he walked Harry backwards through the open kitchen door. Harry trusted him enough to be led and just focused on kissing him back and running his hands through the back of Draco’s soft hair as he did so.

He could tell by Draco’s mood exactly what sort of sex he was in for as he felt himself nudge into the dining table. This would be interesting. They hadn’t really had this sort of sex before but it was definetly the start of some sort of lust filled fuck Harry had been imagining during all the sexual tension filled hours when Draco had first moved in.

As if reading Harry’s mind Draco stopped kissing him to look him squarely in the face and spoke in a low sultry voice. “Harry, I love you. I love you so fucking much. There will be other times where I will spread you out on the bed luxuriously again and take my time with you showing you exactly how much I love you but right now I just want you desperately. I want to fuck you hard and fast on the kitchen table, is that OK?”

Harry’s mouth went dry and he wasn’t sure if he’d ever been this hard before, if he didn’t undo the zip on his jeans soon then he thought they might just burst. 

“Yes.” He squealed out in a high-pitched and very unsexy voice. He cleared his throat and tried again. “Yes. Fuck, yes. Definitely OK.”

Draco was wasting no time now that he’d been granted permission and was furiously liberating Harry from his jeans. Harry helped him out and had his jeans and his trousers around his ankles in seconds not bothering to take them properly off.

“Turn around.” Draco ordered, his voice thick with arousal.

Harry hastened to obey but he did cast a quick cushioning charm on the table for his own comfort before folding himself down onto it with encouragement from Draco who now had one hand on Harry’s back pressing him down. Harry felt terribly on display for Draco like this, somehow more than if he was completely naked but it was thrilling rather than embarrassing. He felt like he was just literally giving his arse to Draco like a fucking gift. Not that Draco’s dick wouldn’t be a gift for him in return though.

“Summon lube.” Draco demanded giving Harry’s arse a gentle slap at the same time, which Harry was not complaining about despite never really being into spanking of any kind. Harry always thought of himself as pretty vanilla in the bedroom and yet there was something to be said for how much he liked Draco ordering him around.

He stuck his hand out in the general direction of the kitchen cupboards picuring what he wanted and saying it over in his head. He heard one of the cupboards open and seconds later a tub smacked into his hands.

“Argh, you doing wandless magic is such a turn on.” Draco grumbled appreciatively whilst kneading Harry’s bare arse and giving it a kiss with a little bite to follow it. 

He laughed at that secretly thinking that Fred used to say the same but it was no doubt useful. It had been Fred who had made him practice wandless non-verbal sex spells until he mastered them and then always said how easier it was that Harry could take care of the cleaning and protection side of things quick as a flash for them both. 

But he really should get his mind back to Draco.

Harry thought that Draco was on his knees behind him now but he couldn’t be sure as he couldn’t quite see. He could sense Draco taking the tub from his hands, opening it and then setting it on the table though.

“Coconut oil?” He questioned with faint amusement.

“It works.” Harry replied with baited breath, just willing Draco to get on with something now. His hard aching cock was pressed beneath him on the table in the most agonisingly tortuous but still strangely hot kind of way. It was different, submitting himself to Draco like this and not able to reach to touch himself but he wasn’t complaining.

Draco was still kissing his arse but then he used his hands to spread Harry’s cheeks and Harry heard him breath out a long low sigh in appreciation which made him feel so damn sexy for his boyfriend behind him. Then Draco was kissing above, below and  _ around _ his hole. Was he…? Would he…? 

Then Harry’s silent question was answered as he felt a wet flat wide tongue run all the way across his entrance in a long delightful sweep. He gasped and gripped the other edge of the table in front of time.

“Was that… Is this… is it OK?” Draco asked tentatively from behind him.

“God Draco, yes.” Harry cried wantonly. “Please.” He added and then “Yes, so good…. Very OK.” When Draco did it a few more times.

Harry was pretty confident from their discussions that Draco had never done this to anyone before but, as with the blowjobs, he seemed quickly encouraged by Harry’s positive reactions and clearly was a fast learner. 

Draco swirled his tongue round Harry’s hole and Harry leaned back into it unable to help himself, just desperate with need. He tried to bite back his moan as Draco kissed right over the puckered entrance and then started to tease him there with his tongue, gently coaxing him open. 

Then he realised that he didn’t have to hold back his sounds and that if anything they would just spur Draco on so he let himself be loud. He let himself enjoy it and feel everything. Sure enough the louder he got the more passionately Draco proceeded to lap at him. Then he started dipping the tip of his tongue into Harry, penetrating him gently. He was getting better and better, not that it was bad to begin with mind. No, it was good. Very, very good which Harry may or may not be blabbering out loud by this point.

“Merlin Harry the noises you are making.” Draco said proudly as he pulled off Harry and fumbled with the jar of coconut oil slightly. “I’ve been wanting to hear you make those noises, I didn’t realise this is what I had to do.” He chuckled.

“I love it.” Harry confessed. “I love you, and your tongue… you feel so good. More baby, please.” Harry begged breathlessly, not caring how it made him sound.

“Hmm.” Draco hummed against his hole and let his breath out slowly against it.

“Argh,  _ please _ .” Harry repeated pushing back against the table to practically shove his arse in Draco’s face. “You’re such a tease.” He moaned when all Draco did was laugh and continue to blow against Harry’s opening.

“Patience Angel.” Draco purred, his voice slow and confident. The tentative Draco who had so hesitantly asked for permission to do this in the first place was long gone. “I  _ was _ just going to fuck you hard and fast but now I have the urge to keep you like this for me for hours with me slowly fucking you open wth my tongue.”

“Hmm. Ughh.” Was all that came out of Harry’s mouth.

“Which one would you like me to do mon chéri?” Draco asked in a sickly sweet voice that was dangerously casual. Like he was just asking Harry which flavour ice-cream he wanted and he personally couldn’t care less about what Harry chose.

Harry mumbled something as he writhed with need on the table.

“I’m sorry sweetie, I didn’t catch that. What did you say?” Draco teased as he ran an oily finger lazily up and down between Harry’s cheeks, just glossing over his hole pausing on it ever so briefly before moving on.

“Both!” Harry wailed. “Anything, you choose, just…  _ something _ .”

“Hmm, my choice.” Draco smacked his lips together clearly delighted. “Well I really don’t think I can make it last hours with how desperately I need you tonight. It’s already longer than I thought it would be, I thought I’d have my dick in here by now.” He confessed as he pushed his finger into Harry’s wet hole just slightly making Harry gasp before he took it away again.

“But perhaps a little longer.” He uttered just before he pressed another kiss to the spot he’d been adoringly paying attention to. “You taste so good after all.” He mumbled before he dipped his tongue back in. 

And then there was no more teasing. 

Harry felt Draco’s tongue push past that tight ring of muscle and he let out his most wanton cry yet as Draco began to properly tongue fuck him in earnest. Draco moaned in return upon hearing that sound and the vibrations from it seemed to run straight from Harry’s arse and through his entire body. 

He kept that up at a maddening pace until Harry was reduced to a blubbering mess and then he felt Draco pull back slowly but only to then quickly replace his tongue with his finger. One finger slipped in easily now and Draco stood up behind Harry and ran his hand up and down his back.

“You doing OK?” He asked softly, still pumping his finger in and out at a leisurely pace.

Harry nodded. He was very grateful for the cushioning charm but in truth he really was OK as he practically melted into the table that felt more like a mattress. Still, he needed more and soon.

“Fuck me.” Was all he seemed to be capable of saying but it got the message across as Draco groaned and eagerly upped his pace sliding in another finger alongside the first.

“I’m ready.” Harry mumbled after another minute and Draco was breathing heavily now, also incapable of coherent speech it seemed. 

He pulled out of Harry and Harry lost track of what Draco’s hands were doing but he did lean forward to press a kiss to Harry’s clothed back. Then Harry felt Draco’s cock at his entrance and Draco lined himself up before grabbing hold of Harry’s hips tightly and pushing himself in.

“Argh, fuck Harry... so tight... and so good for me... Perfect.” Draco stuttered as he slowly slide himself in.

Harry had gone quieter now, just getting used to the feel and the stretch of Draco again. It did hurt a little even after the preparation and honesty the position he was in was starting to get mildly uncomfortable now. Plus he desperately needed to relieve some pressure of his poor trapped aching erection but all of that just added to it and made it deliciously painful, exhilarating and amazing all at the same time.

Draco sighed loudly as he bottomed out against Harry, filling him completely. He stayed there for a little while just letting them both adjust before testing the waters by sliding almost all the way out and then back in again agonisingly slowly.

“What happened to hard and fast?” Harry questioned cheekily, suddenly finding his voice again.

“Oh is that what you want now? Cos I can give it to you if that’s what you  _ really _ want.” Draco’s voice said dangerously as he continued to rock his hips gently.

“Give it to me.” Harry challenged boldly, knowing Draco never backed down from a challenge.

He wasn’t disappointed.

Draco leaned down over him to whisper in Harry’s ear, the one that was upturned towards the ceiling, not pressed down on the table. “You asked for this, remember.” He warned, his voice taking on that dominating tone that went straight to Harry’s dick. 

Then he pulled himself back up and returned his hands to Harry’s hips pausing for just long enough for Harry’s breath to hitch in anticipation, before fully slamming himself back into him again. Harry gasped and clung onto the edge of the table in front of him for the second time. His knuckles went white as he continued to grip it and Draco continued to give him exactly what he’d promised he would. Hard and fast, hard and fast, until Harry almost couldn’t see straight. Fuck, this was good.

It didn’t last long, as Harry knew it wouldn’t but that didn’t matter because it was bloody fantastic and as Harry felt Draco empty himself deep inside him he was actually surprised on reflection that Draco had managed to keep the pace up for as long as he had. 

“Oh Merlin. Bloody hell Harry, that was…” Draco said groggily, as he practically collapsed on top of Harry, folding himself down onto him.

“Draco.” Harry grumbled. “Draaaaco.” He tried again wiggling slightly until Draco got the message.

“Hmm?” Draco questioned sluggishly but did start moving off of Harry as he spoke. “What do you need babe?”

“My dick, please Draco.” Harry begged once more, completely teetering on the edge. He wouldn’t need much that was for sure but he needed something.

“Oh shit, sorry.” Draco said quickly as it dawned on him what Harry was saying. “I’m so sorry my love.” My repeated as he moved off Harry quickly and helped Harry get up off the table.

“Here, sit down.” Draco ushered him gently into one of the dining room chairs as Harry was moving slightly stiffly and his head was still dizzy with arousal. “Let me take care of you.”

Draco nestled himself in between Harry’s legs, kneeling on the floor and he took Harry’s engorged and throbbing cock into his hands ever so tenderly. He kissed it and lapped at it sweetly before licking up it in long smooth motions. Finally he took it into his mouth and sucked it, still softly as if he was apologising to it for going untouched for so long but he also seemed to realise that it wouldn’t take much for Harry to spill into his mouth.

Which he did a few moments later with Draco expertly coaxing it out of him and then swallowed it all down eagerly. Harry sighed happily and Draco crawled up to sit in his lap and wrap his arms around him. They sat like that for a few moments just reveling in their post-orgasmic bliss before Harry found himself repeating the same word as earlier but in a much softer tone.

“Bed.”

This time Draco agreed. “Bed.” He said nodding along and getting himself up as if it required a great effort. 

“You know…” Draco said once he’d stood up and seemed to gather slightly more energy from somewhere. “I’m never going to be able to eat at that table again without thinking of that delicious feast I just had.” He grinned.

Harry grinned too, he just couldn’t help it looking at Draco’s expression. “Well maybe one day you’ll give me a meal of my own on there.” He said seductively.

“Well based on the noises you were making, I reckon I might have to try it the other way round.” Draco conceded with a shy smile.

“I’d make it good for you, I promise.” Harry said seriously, taking a step towards Draco and giving his hand a squeeze. “It’s, erm, it’s a bit of a kink of mine.” He blushed furiously. 

“What, rimming?”Draco asked, his smile growing broader again. “Giving and receiving?”

Harry just nodded.

“Hmm, interesting.” Draco said with a bit of a twisted smile and a raised eyebrow. “Were you ever going to tell me?”

Harry shrugged slightly bashfully. “Figured we’d get there at some point. I was maybe going to see if you suggested it or casually bring it up to see if you’d be open to it... but I, er, I didn’t want to tell you and then have you feel pressured into doing it just cos I like it. I mean, did you like it?”

“Harry,” Draco said seriously, looking at him square on and leaning in ever so slightly. “I’d do anything to hear you make those noises, it’s all I’ve ever wanted.”

“Yes, but did you like it?” Harry insisted softly, blushing again at the thought of the noises he was making.

“I liked it.” Draco said simply, stepping forward again to rub his nose slightly against Harry’s and then angle his face down for a soft kiss.

“Draco…?” Harry all but whispered as the kiss ended.

“Yes?” Draco encouraged him as he rested his forehead on Harry’s.

“Those, er, noises I was making… I’ve never quite been like that for anyone else before.” Harry confessed quietly.

Draco’s smile was quite possibly the biggest he’d ever seen it as he pulled back more. “Excellent. Next time I’ll make you squeal even louder.” He proclaimed confidently before he turned and walked out the room. 

Harry just stood in the kitchen for a split second, half wondering if they could do it all again now. Until he heard Draco’s voice calling out from the stairs. “Are you coming to bed?”

Yes, bed. That actually sounded like a very good idea.

*~*

The next morning they slept in for the first time in what felt like ages because… well why the hell not? Sundays were possibly Harry’s favorite day and it might have something to do with the fact that it was the only day Draco took off. 

It wasn’t as if Harry didn’t like Draco working, the fact that he was so passionate and dedicated to his business was one of the reasons why Harry fell in love with him after all. It was just that he was starting to miss the early days where Draco being his own boss meant that he could slack off a bit and they had lots of time together. Recently Draco’s been working all day, every day apart from Sundays. On Sundays though he never goes into his office or his potions lab, not even once.

It’s not like they can spend the whole day together of course, they have the family lunch at The Burrow to get to. As much as Harry half wishes they could make their excuses not to go, it’s Daphne’s first time coming along and being introduced to everyone so they both should be there for her really. Not that she’ll need them of course, as Harry reminded her last night. He left her in no doubt that everyone will love her.

Although, to be fair, he wouldn’t want to miss Sunday lunch anyway. He’d always enjoyed going to The Burrow, as long as he wasn’t in a bad mood to begin with or anything, but at the same time it always reminded him of what he wanted but didn’t have: a family and a partner. Now though he was excited to go there. Excited for another opportunity to show off his amazing boyfriend to his family. Excited to show them all just how happy he really is.

Still, they didn’t need to be there for a few hours so if they wanted to stay in bed then who was going to judge them? They ended up having the slow loving sort of sex that was completely opposite to the fast, rough type they’d had last night but it was no better or worse, just different and amazing. Sex with Draco was always amazing whichever way they did it. 

Draco seemed delighted that he’d found what Harry particularly liked too and he seemed to very much enjoy Harry’s more vocal side. Harry had always been a bit embarrassed about his sex noises but the fact that him making noise was clearly a turn on for Draco made him not care about it anyway and actually want to be loud. So that was how Draco ended up eating him out again.

He was beyond pleased that Draco seemed to like rimming. He had been worried that he wouldn;t because it was incredibly intimate really and intimacy was something Draco has struggled with in the past. But it was clear that he really didn’t mind doing it to Harry. What Harry really wanted though was to do it to him.

Harry was a bit sore from last night but in the past possible way and he may have exaggerated it slightly just so Draco fussed over him and gave him another incredible massage. Draco always claimed to be a selfish lover but it didn’t seem like it when he was with Harry. It seemed like he would be quite happy to spend hours pleasing Harry without any thought to his own needs. It was an adjustment to Harry, he was used to being the one give more rather than take but he wasn’t exactly complaining. 

Draco seemed to like being more in control of things and it also seemed important to him to treat Harry very differently to any other lovers he had. If those things were important to him then Harry understood that but it was a bit of a switch to how they were in everyday life. Draco seemed to want to be spoiled and pampered and Harry was only too eager to provide that but Draco still seemed to have a slight barrier regarding him lying on the bed and letting Harry do whatever he wanted to him which is definitely something that Harry wanted. 

He wouldn’t push it though, he knew they would get there, he knows that Draco loves him and trusts him, he isn’t insecure about that so he would wait as long as it takes. In the meantime if Draco wanted to do all the work then Harry would let him. He did like Draco telling him what to do to be fair. Draco in charge definitely wasn’t a bad thing. He would just prefer for Draco to be the one spread out on the bed for him, telling Harry exactly what to do to make him happy, bossing Harry around and letting Harry do all the work. Now  _ that  _ was an image.

Draco seemed to be under the impression that whoever topped was the more ‘dominant’one but Harry knew that wasn’t necessarily the case and he couldn’t wait to show Draco that. One day, he told himself. One day. 

Although, Harry wouldn’t be opposed to topping  _ and _ being dominant too at the same time. If Draco ever wanted to mix things up then he would be on board with that. He’d probably get on board with anything Draco wanted to be honest but they would have time to experiment and have sex every which way possible. If Harry had his way then they would have the rest of their lives together.

Eventually though, after their long slow sex session and a relaxing bath together, they did get ready for the day. They hadn’t even had breakfast but lunch was in an hour and there was always plenty of food to go round at the Burrow so they treated themselves to a latte and a pastry just to fill a gap. 

About half an hour before they were due to leave Narcissa’s house elf Hopsy appeared with a message to say Andromeda wasn’t feeling very well so would Harry and Draco be able to come and pick Teddy up now as she wasn’t going to lunch at the Burrow. They had already arranged that Teddy was going to come and stay at theirs afterwards anyway so it didn’t make much of a difference.

Narcissa opened the door when they knocked on Andromeda’s modest cottage.

“Good morning dear.” She said fondly to Draco giving him a hug  _ and _ a kiss on the cheek. 

Draco seemed slightly taken back by it but pleased and he almost seemed like he wanted the brief embrace to be longer. 

“Morning Mother.” was his still slightly formal but very friendly response.

It made Harry sad that Draco wasn’t used to getting hugs from his own mother and he could tell without Draco telling him that he longed for more but Narcissa was becoming warmer in her affections which was good. Living with Teddy probably helped that as once he’d decided he liked someone he cuddled them a lot and apparently he liked ‘Aunty Cissy’ well enough from what Harry had seen.

Harry stepped forward to greet Narcissa too and to his surprise she even gave him a hug as well, even if it was quick and slightly awkward. 

“Good to see you again Harry.” She said sincerely.

“You too.” He said with a warm smile. “How is Andromeda?”

“She’s alright, nothing too serious, just a bad case of the flu. I’ve given her some potions and she’s just sleeping it off but I’m sure she will be back to normal in a couple of days.” Naricssa said without any hint of worry so it did put Harry’s mind at rest.

“OK, that’s good.” Harry said relieved. “Thanks for taking care of her.”

“She’s my sister.” Narcissa said simply, as if that it would be ridiculous of her to act any other way.

“Yeah… I know.” Harry said slightly awkwardly. “Still, it’s just… Well she’s been taking care of Teddy and she’s always been there for me too and it’s just good to know that she has someone looking out for her as well.”

He didn’t want to bring up the fact that Andromeda having a sister was a pretty new thing but Narcissa didn’t seem offended. 

“She has a few people.” She said smiling softly at Harry. It was still slightly odd to see Narcissa smile but Harry could see Draco in that smile and he liked it. “I learnt from a seven year old that family can be anyone you choose and I know she sees you and the Weasleys as family too. You don’t need to worry about her though, I intend to make up for lost time and always be there for her even when I move into my new house.”

“Thanks, yeah I’m sure you will.” Harry uttering, running his hand through his messy hair, still not completely comfortable talking to Narcissa.

Draco came back into the conversation at just the right time with a reassuring touch to Harry’s arm but when he spoke he addressed his mother. “If Aunt Andromeda needs any more potions then do send Hospy to get some from my lab at home. As long as I know what has been taken for my records then you can have anything you need.”

“Thank you.” She replied just as Teddy crept quietly down the stairs.

Hopsy was following him carrying a small brightly coloured suitcase which Harry immediately took from her to save her carrying it. Teddy was just standing in the corner of the hallway making himself as small as possible with mousy brown hair and brown eyes. Harry noticed immediately and set the case down on the floor to come over to Teddy at his level.

“Hi Teddy Bear.” He said quietly but affectionately. He was close enough to Teddy to be comforting but didn’t want to overwhelm him so he just held his arms out to let Teddy come to him. “Wanna give me a cuddle?”

Teddy nodded shly and then quickly put himself in Harry’s arms. Harry wrapped them around him and spoke quietly again into his ear. “What’s wrong buddy?” When Teddy didn’t answer he prompted him with an educated guess. “Is it because Granny is sick?” 

Teddy nodded again as he curled himself further into Harry. Harry held him tight and continued to talk to him in a gentle voice. “Alright then, I understand why that makes you a bit sad and maybe a bit worried too but sometimes people get sick and that’s OK. We’ve talked about this before, do you remember? Last year when I couldn’t see you for a week because I was in hospital? But then I got better again? And then there was that time when you couldn’t play with Victoire when she wasn’t feeling well?”

“Yeah.” Teddy said nervously biting his lip.

“Well Granny is only a little bit sick. She doesn’t need to go to hospital she just needs to take some medicine and then get some rest. Aunty Cissy-” (And yes Harry felt very weird calling Narcissa that when she was standing right behind him but that’s what Teddy called her and he cared more about him right now.) “-gave her some medicine and will be here to take care of her if she needs any more. Hopsy will be here too and do you know who made the medicine Granny is taking?”

“No.” Teddy replied, wide eyed and curious, his hair turning slightly yellow.

“Draco made it, so that’s how we know it’s the best medicine in the world.” Harry said enthusiastically. 

“You made Granny’s medicine?” Teddy asked Draco with awe in his voice. Draco just smiled and nodded.

“Draco makes medicine for lots of people. They can buy it at his shop and sometimes if people really need it but they don’t have much money then he gives it to them for free.” Harry boasted proudly on behalf of his talented and kind boyfriend.

Draco was blushing slightly and staying quiet but he looked pleased, he still wasn’t always used to people saying nice things about him. Harry also noted happily that Narcissa gave her son’s shoulder a gentle squeeze in silent indication that she was proud of him too.

Teddy ran over and gave Draco a hug. “Thank you.” He said enthusiastically.

Draco looked a bit stunned but he gave Teddy a big cuddle back, wrapping his arms tightly around him. “Are you excited to spend your first night in your new room at our house?” He asked him as a bit of a change in subject.

It did the trick and Teddy had a smile on his face now. “Yeah, Uncle Harry said my bedroom could have dragons in it.”

“Yeah I know. It’s all finished ready for you, we’ll show you after lunch at the Burrow.” Draco said standing up and holding his hand out for Teddy to hold.

“But you’ll be here to look after Granny?” Teddy said looking at Narcissa with a slightly concerned look again.

“I will Teddy, I promise you I’ll look after her.” Narcissa assured him with the softest expression Harry had seen on her face yet. It seemed like Teddy really had melted her ice queen exterior. 

“Right, you ready to go to The Burrow now Teddy? We have a new friend for you to meet today.” Harry said, picking up the case from the ground again and knowing that Teddy would benefit from something else to think about so he wouldn’t worry about his Grandmother.

“You do?” Teddy said excitedly.

“Yeah, George’s girlfriend is coming to lunch today. She’s one of Draco’s very best friends and mine too, you’ll like her.” Harry said confidently.

Teddy seemed reassured now and happy to focus on the rest of the day and leave Andromeda to rest and be looked after by Narcissa. Harry knew from experience that he would probably get anxious again later but he felt confident that they could deal with that together, him and Draco.

*~*

Draco still seemed slightly nervous as he walked hand in hand with Harry down the garden path to The Burrow front door but he was certainly much more relaxed than last week. Harry’s other hand was taken by Teddy and Draco was now wheeling the little suitcase behind him. 

By the time they got inside, everyone was already squeezed around the dining table with the kids at their usual small makeshift table next to it and Molly was waiting to serve dinner. Teddy happily went to sit in his usual spot next to Victoire.

“Hi Molly, hi everyone.” Harry said, giving Molly a hug as she was still standing but just waved to the others. “I’m so sorry we’re late, Andromeda is sick and Teddy was a bit worried.” He explained in a quieter voice but Teddy was happily chatting away to the girls so wasn’t paying them any attention.

“Not to worry Harry dear, we received a letter informing us she had the flu and that you were bringing Teddy but you might be a bit late.” Molly reassured him with a hug.

“Oh that’s good. From Narcissa?” He asked surprised and slightly anxious as he knew that Molly and Narcissa had hardly been friends in the past but pleased that Narcissa had been thoughtful enough to write to her. 

“Yes. She was surprisingly considerate and her letter was very polite. No offence to your Mother Draco, it’s good to see you.” Molly said giving him a hug too and she ushered them both to take a seat at the table.

“Thanks for letting me come back.” Draco said with a smile. “And no offence taken, I know Mother hasn’t exactly been friendly in the past but she’s changing and she’s trying now that she finally has the freedom to be her own person.” He said as he took an empty seat next to Daphne and squeezed her thigh slightly in silent support.

“That’s all anyone can ask mate.” Charlie said happily across the table to Draco. 

There were a few murmurs of agreement around the table as Harry fetched himself a coke and Draco a glass of wine and then sat down at the table next to him with Bill on his other side. Fleur’s chair was empty as she was serving the children their dinner, including Teddy. 

“Where’s Louis?” Harry asked Bill as little conversations started in small groups around the table and Molly started serving up the roast beef to everyone. 

“He’s upstairs asleep, thank Merlin.” Bill replied, helping himself to potatoes and then passing them to Harry. “He didn’t have a great night so we’re hoping this is the start of a very long afternoon nap. I’d be tempted to leave him here tonight for Mum to look after but she’s going to be having him on Wednesdays and Fridays as my lovely wife has got herself a job now.”

“Yeah I heard about that.” Harry said with a smile and passed the potatoes to Draco who was engaged in conversation with Daphne and the twins but took them from him anyway before Harry turned back to Bill.

“Heard about it? I got the impression it was your idea?” Bill questioned, amused. 

“Might have been.” Harry said with a bit of a sheepish smile. “Draco needs the help though and it means he can open the shop on Wednesdays without sacrificing Daphne’s time off and I got the impression Fleur was quite excited about it?”

“Yeah she really is. The shop sounds right up her street and she needs this. She’s an amazing mother but she’s a people person and she misses those interactions with others I think. She practically jumped on Daphne the moment she arrived declaring that they would be best friends now and you know how much she loved chatting to your fella in french last week.” Bill chuckled fondly.

“Plus Mum was thrilled about the extra time with Louis, you know what she’s like. She only has Rose Mondays and Tuesdays as Hermione’s parents have her the other two days that Mione works so it still leaves Mum with Thursdays grandchild free. Works well for everyone I reckon. Yorkshire?” He offered them to Harry who took them eagerly.

Harry took a yorkshire pudding and passed them along to Draco before scanning the rest of the table. Daphne and George had the best chairs today at the head of the large wooden rectangular table and then Fred, Charlie, Ron and Hermione were slightly squashed into a bench seat by the wall. Rose’s highchair was tucked into the corner next to Hermione and then Molly and Arthur sat opposite George and Daphne at the other end of the table on mismatching chairs next to the one where Fleur now sat.

“Where’s Ginny?” Harry asked having only just noticed her absence.

“Ollie has taken her out to lunch today as they’ve hardly spent any time together this week.” George explained.

“Yeah, entirely our fault as she’s been helping us in the shop all week and will now throughout November and December.” Fred added.

George was nodding along. “Yeah and actually, cos Ollie’s been a bit bored without Quidditch and without Ginny, he’s been helping Lee out in the Hogsmeade branch-”

“-which is excellent! Having Quddittch stars in our shops is very good for business.” Fred finished gleefully. “Also means that we won’t need to send Graham there on his days with us like we planned so you can have him full time if you want mate.” Fred offered to Draco.

“That would help me a great deal, thank you.” Draco enthusiastically agreed. “It’s great to have Fleur on board to help run the shopfloor and I understand my Mother and my Aunt did a great job of stepping in to cover my appointments for me last Thursday afternoon but what I really need is someone to help me make the products and Graham’s craftsmanship is getting better and better.”

“Yeah he’s more suited to that than the customer facing stuff but it’s much more rewarding work for him than just stock taking and sorting out the shelves like he does at ours.” George chimed in.

“Guess you’ll have to do more of that yourself now Georgie.” Fred teased, giving him a gentle nudge with his elbow.

“Ah well, there’s worse things in life.” George simply smiled and shrugged. Harry didn’t think anything could get him feeling down today.

“Now has everyone got everything?” Molly said loudly scanning the table just after she’d finally served herself some food.

There were lots of mumbles of ‘yes’ and ‘thanks’ and ‘sit and eat Mum’ from around the table and Molly was just sitting herself down when she suddenly jumped back up again.

“Daphne dear you don’t have a proper drink. George why did you not get her a drink?” She exclaimed and chastised George at the same time. 

“I did offer Mum! She said she was happy with water!” George protested and then turned to Daphne. “I don’t suck that much as a boyfriend do I?”

“No not too much, but there is always room for improvement Honey.” She said smiling mischievously at him.

There were a few chuckles from Fred, Charlie and Ron mostly but Molly looked appalled. “Oh poor dear, what would you like?”

“Oh no, I was only joking Mrs Weasley.” Daphne said quickly. “I honestly am fine with just water and George is an excellent boyfriend.”

“Hear that?” George said pointedly to his brothers on his right. “Excellent.”

“Oh I am pleased to hear that, but do call me Molly dearest.” Molly voiced tenderly, now ready to tuck into her own dinner at last. “It’s just so nice to see little Georgie here finally bringing home a girl and such a lovely one at that. Those pictures of the two of you at your sister’s wedding were so wonderful.”

“Please don’t start crying again Mum.” George groaned and rolled his eyes a bit but Harry noticed he did look a little pleased underneath the act.

“Don’t be silly, I wasn’t crying.” Molly insisted but if Harry knew her as well as she thought then she definitely would have cried at those photos when she first saw them. “It was just so special, my boy in Witch Weekly and so handsome too.”

“I was in it as well looking just as handsome.” Fred sulked.

“Oh give over! Your picture was tiny and it was only there because you danced with that git.” Ron huffed a bit and gestured towards Draco but he said ‘git’ with much more affection than he would have done in the past.

“You’re just jealous because you weren’t in it at all and everyone else was.” Fred accused.

“I didn’t want to be in it.” Ron insisted unconvincingly. 

“Now boys, don’t bicker. What will Daphne think of us all?” Arthur said calmly.

“Pretty sure she’d find it weirder if there was no bickering.” Harry chuckled which got more laughs from the table and a smile from Daphne.

They spoke more about the wedding that most of the table had been guests at last week as Molly and Fleur had lots of questions about it. It was a good point of conversation and it was nice that the Weasleys were making an effort to not only bring Daphne into the chat but Draco as well. 

Draco was faring well considering that this setup was much more intimate than the garden party he’d attended last week. Looking back on it, that had been a good occasion to bring Draco to the Burrow for the first time but this was pleasant too. This was the normal Sunday lunchtime set up and it made Harry immensely happy to have Draco sitting next to him at the table. 

Arthur, Ron and Hermione spoke lots about their recent dealings at the Ministry, Bill was mostly quiet but spoke up occasionally comparing their work to his job at Gringotts. Draco’s shop and products always made for interesting discussion too and people around the table genuinely did seem really interested in his business. Lots of them were saying they needed to pay him a visit to order some Christmas gifts. 

According to Daphne they needed to get an appointment soon because Draco’s diary was filling up quickly for the next couple of Tuesdays and Thursdays but Draco reassured everyone that he would always make time for any of them. Harry said they were welcome to stop by the house if they wanted to put any Christmas orders in which led to lots of jokes about Harry being Draco’s secretary but he just accepted that. If that’s what Draco needed then that’s what Harry would be.

Fred and George then took their turn in the limelight entertaining the table with all the new Christmas themed products they’d come up with this year and some old seasonal favourites that they’d put back on the shelves for this year.

As they were finishing off the dinner, Teddy came over and sat on Harry’s lap and Charlie took that as an opportunity to tell some stories from the Dragon reserve this week as everyone knew how much Teddy loved hearing them. Harry was grateful to him and the other for helping to settle Teddy. They all knew that sickness was something that Teddy worried about as even though he hadn’t lost his parents that way, he was smart enough to know that sometimes sickness could lead to death. 

Daphne got up to help Molly clear the table when everyone had finished their roast dinner and George told her she was a guest and to sit down and enjoy herself. He gave her a sweet quick kiss and then got up himself to help. Harry still had Teddy on his lap but Draco helped eagerly too. 

Molly had outdone herself with dessert having three massive puddings to choose from: an apple crumble, a cherry pie or a passionfruit pavlova. There was cream, ice-cream or custard to have with them too and everyone was very happy. 

Teddy chose to stay on Harry’s lap throughout dessert which was fine by Harry. He liked having him close and although Teddy was smiling he definitely seemed more subdued and more clingy today than usual. He worried a lot about losing people he loved, a feeling that Harry knew well and could sympathise with. It was hard growing up so young knowing that death was a possibility and Teddy’s fear of anyone becoming sick and dying was rational but Harry did his best to reassure him, kissing his temple and ruffling his hair as Teddy tucked into his cherry pie with ice-cream.

He suspected that Teddy only chose that combination because it was what Draco had and he smiled at the thought of his two sweet-toothed boys. Harry rather liked the sharpness of the passionfruit pavlova personally but around the table the apple crumble and custard was definitely the most popular choice.

“So how is the book coming along Harry?” Bill asked him after he’d finished getting his girls their desserts. The rest of the table looked over and seemed interested in Harry’s response too. 

“Yeah it’s going alright thanks. Nearly done actually.” He replied. “Thanks to you all for your contributions, Luna confirmed that she received them and she has edited everything she has so far. She seemed really pleased with it all anyway. I’ve just got a couple more chapters to write as has Draco and they are some of the hardest ones obviously but I’m hoping to get them done this coming week. Then we can start getting on with the process of publishing it the week after that because we want it to be on the shelves by the beginning of December.”

“Sounds great Harry, I’m really pleased.” Hermione said warmly from across the table.

“Yeah. we’ve nearly done it.” Harry said looking affectionately over at Draco and nudging him gently with his shoulder. 

“It’s going to be a really busy month or two though.” Draco warned.

“I know.” Harry said sensibly. “But it will be worth it and I’m going to make sure you take some decent time off at Christmas.”

“I will, I promise.” Draco said quietly to him as he leaned over to kiss Harry on the side of his head and then ruffled Teddy’s hair too.

A couple of the guys wolf whistled but there were plenty of smiles too and Harry was confident that everyone around the table supported them and would be there for them during the tough times and the happy times.

*~*

They caught up with Daphne after dinner as people were milling around and getting more drinks and she assured them that even though they weren’t there to see it, her welcome had been very warm. She did seem very relaxed and she repeatedly said that she was having a good time. 

Draco seemed really happy that she was here too and Harry had never seen him this comfortable with others outside of their little group. He guessed that with Daphne here he didn’t feel like such an outsider. Ron made lots of jokes about him not being the only Slytherin here now until Harry reminded him that Andromeda, who other than today had been coming here for Sunday lunches for about six years, was also an ex-Slytherin.

Louis finally woke up upstairs and Harry smiled when Daphne went straight over to Fleur as she came down the stairs with him and asked her for a cuddle. He caught George’s eye as he was also now looking at the sight of Daphne with a baby in her arms and George just winked at him. Harry wasn’t sure if he’d ever seen George look so happy and that was saying a lot as George usually looked pretty happy. 

It looked like Fleur and Daphne were going to become fast friends too and Harry was happy that Daphne would have a young but experienced mum to help her out when the time came. He didn’t say as much out loud because no one outside their little friendship group of six knew Daphne was pregnant yet but he exchanged a look with Draco that showed him Draco was thinking the same thing. Clearly having Fleur working at the shop worked out in one more way than they had thought.

George was fussing over little Rose even more than he was last week and it was clear that he was feeling very broody too. Harry had his suspicions about the way George was treating Rose that George would prefer a girl but Harry had a weird feeling that Daphne was carrying a boy and had already placed a bet with Draco about it. Either way though Harry was confident that once the rest of the family found out about the pregnancy they would welcome the news and the baby would be surrounded with love when it arrived. 

Teddy remained a little quieter than usual and especially clingy to Harry after lunch. It was a little strange because recently it had all been about Draco in Teddy’s world but today he seemed to need the particular reassurance that only his Godfather could provide. Harry was all too happy to provide it though. Selfishly he loved it when Teddy was clingy to him, it had been a while and recently he felt like he was growing up so fast. He kept saying that he wasn’t little anymore and sometimes pushed Harry away when Harry wanted to properly cuddle him but today the seven year old was seeking those cuddles.

After a little while though Teddy was not only quiet and cuddly but actually started fidgeting nervously and getting anxious. A couple of times he asked Harry if Granny was better yet.

“Teddy would you feel better if I went and checked on your Grandmother myself and then came and told you?” Draco offered to him quietly when Teddy asked for the third time.

Teddy said nothing but he just nodded.

“Thank you.” Harry said to Draco, reaching over to stoke his arm and rub his thumb over the pulse point in Draco’s wrist. “I’m going to take him home I reckon so I’ll see you back there?”

“Yeah, good idea.” Draco said before giving him a quick kiss and pressing a kiss to the top of Teddy’s head too. 

Harry looked over to find a few sets of eyes on them, looking at their interaction with each other and with Teddy sweetly. 

“Sorry guys but we’re going to go.” He said standing up and continuing to hold Teddy in his arms close to his chest as the child refused to be put on the ground. 

Everyone understood though as most of them knew how sensitive and emotional Teddy could be even if he hadn’t shown it recently. 

“That’s quite alright Harry love. You take Teddy home and look after him, that’s more important.” Molly said kindly. “I might pop in and see Andromeda tomorrow to check up on her but then…” She trailed off slightly awkwardly and looked at Draco. “I wouldn’t want to tread on your Mother’s toes if she’s looking after her.”

“I’m sure my Aunt would appreciate that. You’re her friend and my Mother understands that so I’m sure she would welcome your visit too. My mother may not even be there as she was planning to supervise the demolition of the Manor tomorrow. Although if Aunt Andromeda needs her then I’m sure she will put her first. Why don’t you write in the morning to give a rough time of your arrival and my Mother can plan accordingly.” Draco replied diplomatically.

“Of course, good idea. Thank you.” Molly replied hastily. “It would only be a quick visit anyway as I will have Rose but I just know that Dromeda would visit me if I was ill.”

“Then you must go.” Draco smiled at her and placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder. “I hope if you do see my mother then you will find her much changed and maybe, in time, you might even be friends. She could use another friend I think.”

“Right, yes, I expect she does get lonely.” Molly said in consideration. “Perhaps I could take her the leftover pavlova.”

“My mother does appreciate a bit of tartness in her puddings, much like Harry.” Draco chuckled.

His little Slytherin snake was clever, Harry thought. Draco knew how much Molly liked to help people in need so by suggesting that Narcissa needed a friend he was playing right into her hands. Plus Molly was most definitely a feeder, that’s how she showed her affection to people. Draco was scheming again but it wasn’t for his own personal gain at all, he was aiming to bring his mother into the rest of the family Harry would bet. 

Draco then said goodbye to everyone and left first whilst Harry was just behind him but wanted to check in with Daphne again before he left.

“Sorry we haven’t been much support to you today but you really don’t need it anyway. They all love you just like I knew they would.” He said quietly to her.

“Don’t worry Harry, I’m fine. Molly is right, this little one is more important.” She said tentatively placing a gentle hand on Teddy’s back. 

He didn’t seem bothered by the touch but his face was still buried in Harry’s neck. Harry hadn’t seen him like this in a while and truthfully he was getting a bit too big to carry like this but if Teddy wanted it then Harry would hold him for as long as it took to make him feel better.

“I’m sorry he hasn’t been that friendly today, he was excited to meet you but I think as the day has gone on he’s just been getting more worried. He doesn’t like a lot of company when he’s anxious, do you Buddy? And that’s OK, I’m the same.” Harry explained to Daphne whilst trying to keep in mind that Teddy could hear and understand him so he didn’t want to speak for him too much.

“Me too Teddy, it’s OK. I’m sure we’ll have plenty of time to get to know each other.” Daphne said to him in a nice warm tone. He did look up at her then and nod with a tiny smile before resting his head back on Harry’s shoulder.

Daphne smiled sweetly at the pair of them again. “You’re really good with him Harry and Draco is too.” 

“Thanks and yeah he is. We love Draco don’t we?” Harry said, giving Teddy a little bounce on his hip. At that Teddy brought his head up again and smiled properly.

“Yeah Draco is the best.” Teddy joined in enthusiastically. 

“Well there we go, we already agree on something.” Daphne said softly to him.

“Come on then.” Harry rubbed up and down Teddy’s back. “Let’s go and see your new room and then we can curl up on the sofa and watch a film. I got one about dragons.” 

That perked Teddy up enough to allow Harry to put him down but still hold his hand. “Welcome to the family Daph.” Harry whispered to her when he kissed her on the cheek to say goodbye.

He called out again to all the others he’d already said goodbye to once and then took Teddy’s case with his other hand ready to walk out the door.

When they got back home Harry settled Teddy on the sofa and suggested some quiet time would be good after the busy lunchtime atmosphere. Teddy was keen to see his room but Harry wanted to wait for Draco so they could both see Teddy’s reactions. 

Teddy got a bit anxious again as they waited for news from Draco but Harry assured him that Narcissa would have sent for them if Andromeda got any worse and that the flu wasn’t usually dangerous even if it did make people feel pretty rubbish.

Draco didn’t take too long though and when he came in Teddy rushed straight to him.

“It’s all OK Teddy.” Draco assured him by giving him a massive hug. “Granny had a bit of chicken soup that Hopsy made her for lunch and now she’s gone back to sleep but overall she is feeling a bit better.”

After that knowledge Teddy did perk up a bit and the three of them proceeded to have a really nice evening. Teddy absolutely loved his room of course and it did wonders to cheer him up as did the film. Teddy asked for ice-cream but Harry reminded him that he had already had some today with the cherry pie. In the end though he did agree to make Teddy a small hot chocolate to have with the second half of the film. 

Harry made it himself from scratch on the stove with milk and melted chocolate. He put a little bit of cinnamon in it too which went down a treat with both Teddy and Draco. Teddy cuddled closely in between them and both Harry and Draco agreed it was really nice to have him here. 

Looking at the two of them, Harry couldn't believe how he’d gotten so lucky. He knew Teddy wasn’t their child but at the same time he sort of was and it was the closest Harry had been so far to having the family of his own with someone he loved like he’d always wanted. And they had time too, time to add to their little family, they were only young.

Harry pulled Teddy into his lap whilst shifting even closer to Draco. “I love you.” He said to Teddy snuggling him close. “And I love you.” He added leaning over to give Draco a kiss.

“We love you too.” Draco said wrapping his arms around Teddy and Harry at the same time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always I'd really love to know your thoughts. I get so happy and excited by comments in my inbox and I always reply to every one so hit me!  
> Thanks! :D


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